


Moments Like This

by ShippingVariety



Category: Total Drama (Cartoon)
Genre: AU, Bullying, Cody goes for the hugs... like all the time., Cody is a shy mess when it comes to Noah..., Did I mention bullying?, Drama drama..., Freeform, Friendship, Justin is a prick, M/M, Noah is secretly shy too so shush., Other couples mentioned, Romance, School Life, Sierra knows no boundaries, Slow Burn - Kind of, They're a bit OOC but I'm trying to keep them in character, This is a set of drabbles and other random moments in between
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-05
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:28:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 35,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27394999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShippingVariety/pseuds/ShippingVariety
Summary: What's this? It's just an alternate universe set of drabbles highlighting Noah and Cody's moments leading up to their love story.Nothing special. Please consider tags before proceeding.All of the chapters have a title, summary and description, in case you're not interested in reading everything.
Relationships: Cody Anderson & Noah, Cody Anderson/Noah, Izzy/Owen (Total Drama), Noah & Owen (Total Drama)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 116





	1. An Introduction at Daycare

**Author's Note:**

> In which every moment counts.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It started when they were toddlers. Will it end there?

It started off when they were toddlers going to the same daycare center. Cody never changed his extroverted outer shell. Meeting Noah was just another opportunity for friendship and getting the attention he always wanted - something his family never gave him.

"Hi, I'm Cody!"

The little bookworm stared at the boy whose arm was stretched out and scoffed before returning his gaze to a book he fished out of the shelf. Despite this, the little dork didn't waver.

"What's your name?"

"Bob."

Cody's eyes widened as he naively asked, "really?"

"No."

"Okay." Cody's face fell and slowly lowered his hand. Not that Noah scared him off or anything. He awkwardly sat next to him and obediently waited for the other toddlers to show up, occasionally shooting glances at the tanned boy in hopes of getting a word or two out of him. 

Once classes were over, and not a word from Noah, Cody was ready to give up and go home. As soon as he stood from his chair, a young, nasal voice spoke:

"Noah."

"'No... huh?" Cody asked, the gap in his teeth showing.

"Noah. N-O-A-H. That's my name."

"Nice to meet you, Noah! I hope we can be friends."

"Whatever. Bye Cody."

After Noah took his leave, Cody grinned from ear-to-ear. "I did it! I made a friend!"

Noah never knew about Cody's upbringing at first. Not only was he too young to care, he couldn't be bothered making friends at all. Sure there was Owen, the hungriest toddler of all, but Noah only cared about having his needs met. That didn't stop Cody though. Not for fourteen years.


	2. An Incident in Middle School

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To put it bluntly, Cody's middle school life was a disaster... but will his efforts in trying to befriend Noah finally pay off?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warning: Bullying
> 
> Featured Characters: Scott and Amy
> 
> Mentioned Characters: Gwen, Trent, Owen, Duncan, Courtney, Harold

Middle school felt like hell for Cody. Getting high grades was the only perk, while getting bullied and ignored started to feel more like a daily routine between his parents and everyone in his class. 

At least it wasn't all bad! He had a crush on Gwen, one of the cool yet criminally underrated kids. Every time he took a chance at her, she would ignore him and even try to avoid him. She did compliment his sanity, which counts for something right? He had some competition though: Trent, a handsome boy who dedicated all his songs to her; and Duncan, who was conflicted between liking Gwen and getting oddly attracted to Courtney's habit of being a control freak. It was hard to believe he was still studying with the same kids he met at Daycare, especially since they still seem oblivious to his presence.

Okay maybe it is worse than Cody gave himself credit for, but what could be worse than middle school?

Noah was also in his class. Unlike Cody, Noah would rather be alone than seek friends. He often had the highest grade in most subjects, with the exception of math, where either Cody, Courtney or Harold would get the best score. He was always hanging out with Owen, mostly because the big kid didn't want to leave him alone. 

After school, Noah would stick around in the library to do his homework. His parents didn't need to worry about their youngest son getting in trouble. Meanwhile, Cody's parents didn't bother showing up. Devastated as always, Cody decided to walk home. Then he remembered where Noah went and thought about visiting him. No one was around and it's not like his parents even care about the fact that he'll be missing for a while. It hurts to think about it, but with Noah finally being alone, Cody decided to take this chance.

'Don't just stand there like a coward, you're the Codemeister for goodness' sake!' the geek thought irritably. As much as Cody wanted to be closer to Noah, something about the bookworm always held him back. Was it intimidation? Shyness? A crush? It's hard to tell. Cody sighed, 'if only I was as brave as Owen.'

He took a step away from the library and caught himself. 'No! You're going in there and you're gonna make a friend out of him. It's now or never!'

Before he could step forward, he felt a strong grip take his arm and another against his mouth, only to drag him away into an abandoned open locker. The horror in his eyes went from seeing the lit hallway to a pitch black confined space with three narrow slits of light bleeding through.

"HELP! SOMEONE! ANYONE!" he wailed. He thought the school was haunted! Then he heard the pathetic laughter of the bullies standing on the other side. A spikey ginger-haired boy and a blonde cheerleader with a mole on her cheek stood there mockingly as they heard Cody scream at them.

"That wasn't funny! Let me out right now! Please!"

"What's the matter, Cody? Scott and I thought you wanted your school year to go off with a BANG!" Amy taunted, banging the locker door with her foot when she said the last word. 

"Nice one, Amy!" Cheered Scott. "Good luck getting home, loser! Not that you can. And don't worry, your parents won't even know that you're gone. Then again, who will?"

As their laughter and footsteps faded away, Cody's eyes were loaded with tears. He leaned back against the cold metal wall and sunk to the bottom. He buried his face in his arms and wept bitterly. They were right, and he needed to accept that.

"I just... want to be loved. Is that... too much... to ask?" He asked himself. It was barely a whisper, but enough for someone standing close to the door to hear. 

The lights that entered the locker began to flicker off. Cody hugged himself as he heard footsteps getting louder and felt someone standing outside. He thought Scott and Amy weren't satisfied and came back for more, so he covered his bloodshot eyes and placed his hands over his ears.

"Go away! Just go away!" 

No response. Then he felt someone's hand on his, which covered his ear, and Cody jerked his tearful eyes open. And there was Noah in front of him on one knee, his face uncharacteristically filled with worry. The bookworm instantly caught himself and returned to staring at him nonchalantly.

"Normally I'd be happy to go away... but I can't leave you here."

Cody's eyes widened and his chest heaved as he met Noah's gaze. To the bookworm's surprise, Cody leapt out of the locker and into Noah's arms.

"You... you saved me!"

"Yes your knight in shining armor is here," Noah said dryly while patting Cody' back in the hug. When they pulled away to stand up, the bookworm offered a familiar object. "I believe this bag belongs to you. You're lucky those two dimwits didn't steal it from you."

"You knew?"

"Sort of? I had my headphones on, but hearing you get slammed in a locker was a little too loud for me to ignore."

"Then why didn't you--"

"So I can get my backside up a flagpole if a scrawny boy like me tried to size them up for your sake? Yeah... not worth the risk."

"Heh... clever." Cody wiped his face with the soaked sleeve of his arm, wondering if Noah heard what he said while he was still trapped in there. "So... I guess you heard what I said in there huh?"

Noah looked away and shrugged, sheepishly adjusting his backpack as he tried to find the right words. "I may have heard a thing or two. I had a feeling you wanted to see me a while ago."

"I did!" Cody beamed, then blushed. "B-But not because I want you to love me or anything... it's just that--"

Noah cocked an eyebrow and interjected, "you love me?"

Cody's entire face heated up.

"NO! I-it's not like that. I-I'm not... I don't even know what it means t-to--"

"It's okay, I get it," Noah chuckled. "I'm just teasing you."

"You were?"

The bookworm shrugged as he spoke, "Sure! Only immature kids pretending to be mature adults fall in love too quickly. Our brains are clearly too underdeveloped to comprehend that sort of thing."

"Yeah. That."

"Plus it's how I normally treat someone I like. Most people aim to please. I aim to tease."

Cody blushed. "You like me?"

"As a friend, yeah. Especially since you didn't stop bugging me since we were four."

A wide, goofy and almost irresistible grin radiated from Cody's lips. At last, Noah sees him as a friend! All those years at daycare, and those occasional partnerships they had in middle school just waiting for an excuse to spend time with him finally paid off!

"Heh, I'm just getting started!" 

"Whatev," Noah answered dryly with a small smile on his face. 

After feeling a shot of overwhelming joy, Cody threw his arms around Noah once more and tightly hugged him. Cody parted from the hug before the bookworm could return it.

"So, what do you wanna do? You wanna grab an ice cream? Or play video games? Oh! There's this book in the library I returned yesterday that I really liked and I thought of you since you might like it a--"

"Whoa, slow down there. That's too much excitement for one day." Noah chuckled. "Why don't we start small by going home."

"Oh... my parents are picking me up."

"Nice try. After everything I heard today, I know what _your_ parents are like."

Cody gulped, his face falling. "I guess I can't lie to you especially now that we're friends. What I meant to say is I'll be walking home!" 

"How are you so positive about this?"

"I don't know. I just am! I'll see you tomorrow, No--"

Noah grabbed Cody's backpack and pulled him backwards.

"Oh no you don't. My mom's picking me up and you're coming."

"Wait, what?"

"My mom can drop you off."

"Why?"

"Because I asked her to."

Cody shook his head. "No, I mean why are you doing this for me?"

Noah glared for a moment, but softened quickly after. "Because it's getting dark outside and you could get lost."

"Oh." Cody pondered for a moment and smiled, baring his teeth. "Thanks Noah!"

Noah turned his back to focus on his phone. He refused to explain the real reason for his offer. Not only did he want his mom to meet Cody again since she was so fond of him. Not only did he offer it out of pity for Cody.

But maybe... just maybe...

Maybe it's what friends do for each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1 Kudos = a million hugs for Cody


	3. A Freshman Fiasco Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noah and Cody begin high school... in different classes. Who knew so much would change in only less than six months?
> 
> Time sure flies when you're desperate for love, but true love takes time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As much as I love Noah x Emma, I'm afraid it won't be official in this story. That's all I'm saying.
> 
> Don't get me started on Sierra.
> 
> Mentioned couples: Gwen/Trent, Duncan/Courtney, Owen/Izzy, Lindsay/Tyler
> 
> Mentioned characters: Kitty
> 
> Enjoy!

Ah love... Cody thought he finally found it. But was it real?

Let's take a recap!

Noah and Cody were separated into different classes for the first time. It wasn't easy being apart. Naturally when that happens, friendships often drift apart due to not being in the same room anymore. It turned out to be that way in their case. Thanks to puberty, neither of them took it well. Noah was more aloof than ever and Cody pretended he was okay by continuing to seek friends like he always did.

Their last years of middle school turned out to be the best they had so far. They always sat next to each other, helping with each other's homework, occasionally showing mischief such as subtly sharing answers with one another whenever they were called out by the teacher, and hung out after school in the library. Cody even got to befriend Owen, who pitied him and felt guilty for not noticing him all those years ago. Not only was he Noah's best friend, he was also everyone's friend! Noah taught Cody how to fit in without drawing too much attention. Albeit desperate for more, Cody felt grateful with who he had. 

Then high school began. Goodbye Pahkitew Middle School. Hello Wawanakwa High.

With the new kids tranferring to their school, a girl named Sierra instantly had eyes for Cody. She always sat next to him, making sure Cody was sitting on a corner so that only she will be the one sitting next to him. She often invaded his space and sent cheesy flirtatious notes when no one was looking. 

At first, Cody was flattered. She was being so sweet to him! A little possessive, but sweet. That was his first impression of her anyway. She may not look like his type, but she is pretty and ever too kind to him compared to everyone else in his class. She helps him with his homework and walks him home after school, doing the same things Noah did with him when they used to hang out.

It hasn't even been a week and Sierra has been giving all kinds of affectionate signs. Whenever they walked to class together, she placed her arm around Cody's and snuggles against. When they were doing homework or seated together, Sierra would slip her hand over Cody's. Instinctively, Cody held it back. He felt his heart race every time she touched it but he felt bewildered with his feelings. Was she scaring him? Or was he in love with her? It's hard to tell. He wasn't that interested in her, but he cares about her and he's grateful for her kindness. Maybe he does like her more than he thought. More or less, Cody decided to give it a chance. Besides wanting to feel loved, this felt like a great opportunity to get over his feelings for Gwen.

And... someone else... if he was interested.

At least Noah had Owen, his other best friend. He even met Owen's new friend (and crush) Izzy, who instantly grew fond of the former. And it wasn't just Owen who started having a crush. Noah recently had his eyes on Emma, a hardworking Asian girl who excels at everything he's adroit with. On a lower class level was her sister, Kitty, but Noah didn't care about her. It was the latter's sister he had eyes for. The couple spent their first few months of high school bonding over common interests, which felt like a dealbreaker on Noah's part.

Despite all the new changes in his life, Noah still thought about Cody.

After getting an invitation to Sierra's house party, with literally the entire school invited, Cody saw this as an opportunity to see Noah again, so he dressed himself handsomely for the occasion. Upon entering Sierra's house, which looked like a mansion to be honest, the tall girl instantly went in for a hug, squeezing Cody to the point where he couldn't breathe.

"I'm so glad my Codykins could make it!" she squealed excitedly.

Cody laughed nervously and scratched his head as he pulled away from the hug.   
"Glad to be here. Thanks for inviting me at least a hundred times, Sierra!" 

"My pleasure! Anything for you. Want me to show you around? We can hold hands and stuff!"

Cody raised his hands to a halt. "I think I'll explore it myself, thank you."

"Nonsense, stick with me!"

And she dragged him along without further protest. 

\\(°v°)/

Cody's eyes grew as he entered each room made available. Everyone was everywhere. It was as if everyone was having a rave! He instinctively stuck closer to Sierra, who dragged him through the crowd by holding his hand. He felt his hip bump against a girl's slender frame, forcing Sierra to lose him to the crowd.

"Gwen, hi!" Cody greeted with a crack in his voice.

"Oh, hey. Great party huh? Sierra said you're her special guest," shouted the goth. Man it was noisy in there!

"Totally! I didn't know you were a party girl."

"Oh I wasn't, but then Geoff showed up and brought out the party in me. I still hate being stuck in big crowds though!"

"I see! Do you wanna sneak out with--"

Suddenly a handsome voice interjected past the mixed sounds and their conversation. It was Trent, one of Cody's acquaintances, and the guy pining on Gwen since middle school.

"Gwen, there you are! I found a private spot out in the backyard," Trent shouted, then leaned into her ear and whispered, "I was hoping to steal a moment with you. What do you say?"

"I'd love to," Gwen whispered shyly, in a voice only Trent could hear. 

Even though Cody couldn't hear it, he knew exactly what he wanted from her. His face fell, but when Gwen faced him again, he caught himself and forced a smile.

"Sorry, Cody, but I need to be somewhere. We can talk some other time, okay?" Gwen stated.

"It's cool! You go ahead," Cody shouted through the rambunctious crowd.

"Thanks! You rule." The goth girl gently punched Cody's arm and disappeared with her arm holding Trent's.

The geek hung his head down and sighed. 'Why am I so bad at this...?' Before he could wallow any further, he felt a strong hand pull his arm out of the crowd.

Sierra. Great... the girl grabbed an idle megaphone and began to shout through it.

"Attention everyone! I have an announcement to make."

In a few minutes, groups of students went silent and turned their attention to Sierra.

"I threw this party on behalf of my new boyfriend, Cody Anderson!"

Cody paled.

BOYFRIEND!?   
When did this happen!?  
Sure they went on a date but did Cody ever ask her to be his girlfriend? Did Sierra ever ask the same thing? The poor geek was rendered speechless... and confused.

"Since when did you two start going out?" inquired Heather.

Before Sierra could answer, another question followed.

"That's so cute! I had that look in my eye when Tyler asked me out. How long have you been dating?" interjected Lindsay. 

Cody quickly raised his hand. "We--"

"Pfft with standards like that, I'm not surprised Cody's dating a social reject. They're totally a matching pair," Duncan chuckled with his arm snaked around Courtney's waist.

Noah, who was trapped in the crowd with Emma and Owen, snared at the punk guy.

"Keep your abused tongue to yourself, you scumbag," he mumbled venomously, thinking about how lucky Duncan was for being out of earshot.

Meanwhile, Cody was faced with judgemental eyes. Majority of them were filled with excitement and awe. Some were filled with mockery and disgust. And the rest simply didn't care. He tried to find Noah in the crowd, only to see him standing closely next to a new girl. She looks beautiful, and quite possibly Noah's type. When Noah's eyes were glued to hers, Cody's face fell. 

He moved on...

But enough about that for now. He had bigger matters to settle. He returned his attention to Sierra and smiled weakly.

"Sierra, this is all so sweet and I'm flattered... but the truth is I--"

Sierra hyperventilated. "YOU LOVE ME!?"

Half the crowd jumped at her cry and stared with anticipation. Noah saw this and felt his heart clench slightly. 

"The screech made jump you too, huh?" Emma chuckled with her hand slightly brushing against his.

"Psh, no. Can't say I saw this coming though," Noah answered blankly. He felt bad for Cody. Something in those teal eyes made him believe he wasn't in the right frame of mind to say no.

And boy was he right.

"Of course I love you!" Cody answered. Instantly, Sierra's shrieks echoed throughout the room as she pulled Cody in a constricting embrace. When her lips went for his, the geek turned his head, allowing his cheek to make room for her kisses. He giggled nervously, which was an understatement to how he really felt.

After pulling away from the hug, Sierra held Cody's hand with the other holding her megaphone.

"You heard it first folks! Cody Anderson and I are in LOOOOVE! This calls for an extended celebration!"

Cody ignored her audacious announcements as his eyes frantically searched for Noah in the crowd, only to realize he was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What will become of Cody and Sierra in the future? Are Noah and Emma going out? And did Noah really leave the party? 
> 
> All will be revealed in the next chapter.


	4. A Freshman Fiasco Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noah and Cody finally catch up on what they've been missing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Featured couples: Mike/Zoey Owen/Izzy Emma/Jake (Emma's ex in TDRR)
> 
> Also this story was heavily inspired by the trilogy: High School Story: Class Act. It's really good!

"Sierra, can I please be alone for a bit? I need to look for someone," pleaded Cody.

His friend, Noah, was nowhere in sight. Even in a big crowd, the geek could still make out some of the bookworm's most unique features. Nothing. No sign of Noah anywhere. Sierra curiously raised an eyebrow and tightened her grip on his hand.

"But... why? We literally just became boyfriend and girlfriend. We should be celebrating!"

"I know and I'll be there... but first I need to find a friend. Please! I promise I'll be back."

Sierra saw the desperation in his eyes and begrudgingly released his hand. "Fine... but only because you promised to come back."

"Thank you."

Cody pushed his way through the crowd and searched every room. Upon entering the kitchen, he saw Owen and Izzy spoon-feeding each other, their gazes glued together endearingly.

"Um... ahem," coughed Cody awkwardly. 

Startled by the geek's presence, Owen turned to Cody and smiled. "Hey Cody! Congrats on becoming Sierra's boyfriend."

"Oh, seconded! You guys are so cute together! Just like me and my Big-O...." Izzy added as she pinched Owen's chubby cheeks. The heavy eater giggled in response.

"Yeah, it was... something." Cody looked away for a moment and hugged himself while the couple stared at each other. He blinked hard and continued, "Have you guys seen Noah?" 

"Oh you mean the egghead?" Izzy asked.

"Uh..."

"He and Emma were with us a few seconds ago. But when we arrived, they were talking about going somewhere more private," Owen recalled.

"Where did they go?"

"They mentioned something about the basement. But I'm pretty sure there are still people down there playing pool."

"Got it. Thanks Owen!"

When Cody turned his heel, Izzy shrieked him to a halt.

"WAIT! Why are you looking for Noah? Do you liiiike him?"

Cody blushed, refusing to look back. "I..."

"Izzy, come on. Cody's got a girlfriend now! There's no way he'd like someone else."

"Yeah but anything is possible!"

Cody shook his head and walked away, allowing Owen and Izzy to drone on about him.

\\(°v°)/ 

Upon descending the staircase, Cody noticed Emma walking upstairs. When they were side-by-side, the geek tapped her shoulder.

"Wait! You're Emma right?"

"Why? You heard of me?"

"Um... I don't know if Noah told you about me but... I'm Cody! Cody Anderson."

Emma smiled. "Pleased to meet you! And yes, Noah did tell me about you."

"Good things, I hope?"

Emma nodded. "Were you looking for him?"

"I... yeah," Cody sheepishly answered.

"He's playing pool with some classmates. You should see him: he's a real pro!" 

"I will! But where are you going?"

"Oh, I was just leaving. I asked my boyfriend to come pick me up," Emma explained.

Cody felt mixed feelings when he heard her say boyfriend. Instead of replying, he quickly nodded and waved her goodbye before continuing his way downstairs.

The basement looked more like a minibar, and it was. Mocktails were being served, darts were being thrown, and the sound of mixed conversation and the clanking of pool balls filled the room. Just how rich was his "girlfriend" anyway?

Finally, Cody spotted Noah with a few familiar faces. The bookworm doesn't notice him at first, and remains concentrated on aiming the white ball on a stripe. Another dark skinned boy with spikey dark hair waved at the geek and smiled.

"Hey, Cody!" 

"Hi, Mike. How's the game going?"

"Well, I'm losing, but it's been fun so far!" Mike answered as he wrapped his arm around a certain redheaded girl's waist. "This is my girlfriend, Zoey! She's also playing with us."

"I am! I'm not as good as Noah. It's been all stripes for us lately," Zoey giggled.

"Nice to meet you! You look so nice," Cody said.

Zoey gasped and went in for a hug. "Aww you're so sweet! It's so nice to meet you. Mike's always had good taste in friends."

"Heh... and girlfriends," Cody added. The couple blushed and interlaced their fingers.

"Speaking of which, we'll need to go on double dates at some point! Congrats on becoming Sierra's boyfriend," said Mike. Zoey worriedly rested her other hand on her boyfriend's arm.

"Oh I don't know, Mike... Cody didn't seem very happy." The couple exchanged a worried look before staring back at the geek. "You were happy though, right? Cause you seemed a bit... y'know, out of it."

"What? Psh, no of course not! Besides, Sierra cares about me. I don't mind giving us a chance," Cody quickly answered.

"Yeah, I doubt that," said Noah, who finally caught their attention. "I'm surprised Sierra let you off the hook after that shameless display."

"Noah, come on. Be nice," Zoey said calmly.

"It's okay, Zoey! I'm used to it." 

Cody walked over to Noah's side of the pool table and watched as Mike lined up a shot. He looked down and noticed how close their hands were. As his eyes wandered up, he realized the bookworm looked slightly tense about something. He wanted to speak up, but knowing Noah, he would refuse to talk about it in front of company. Zoey clapped and kissed Mike's cheek after getting a solid ball in a corner pocket, before using up her turn.

"So, Noah... I didn't know you're a pool pro," Cody began. 

The bookworm flips his brown fringe out of his eyes and shrugged. "It doesn't really matter. Besides..."

Noah chalks the end of his cue stick and takes aim with his next term.

"I don't really see it as a useful asset for my future."

Noah hits a solid into a corner pocket and smirks proudly.

"I win."

"Woo!" Mike cheered.

"You're so good at this, Noah!" Zoey added.

"I know. Good game, you two," Noah replied. Mike and Zoey nodded and waved before heading upstairs hand-in-hand, leaving Noah and Cody alone. 

There was brief silence between them. Throughout the party, Noah observed something significant: Cody barely smiled. While it seemed like it in public, especially when Sierra announced their assumed "relationship", there was nothing genuine about his smile. Noah knew Cody long enough to figure that out. He too wasn't feeling so good. He didn't want to talk about it... until Cody opened his mouth.

"Owen and Izzy said you'd be here, so I thought I'd check up on you!" Cody cheerfully mentioned.

Noah said nothing and walked towards a nearby loveseat, sighing and sagging his head in his hands as he sat down. Cody frowned and sat next to him.

"I heard Emma would be here, but when I caught up with her, she said she needed to go home. I-I wish she stayed so I could get to know her better!"

Noah remains silent, leaving Cody to struggle for words.

"Did she do something? Di-Did I do something? You know you can talk to me, right? I hope I didnt hurt you in any way! I could never forgive myself if I-"

Noah jerks his head up at Cody, his nose wrinkled. "Dude, stop talking down on yourself like that."

"I..."

"Look, I tried to ask Emma out and she turned me down because she has a boyfriend. What else is there to talk about?"

"Okay, point taken! I'll give you some space," 

Hesitantly, Cody pulls himself up to take his leave when suddenly, he felt Noah's hand take his wrist. His hand was bigger, a bit rougher in contrast to his, but it felt warm. 

"No, wait... that's not what I..." Noah stammered. It came as a shock to Cody because Noah never felt nervous around anyone before. What has Emma done to him? At least he thought Emma had something to do with bringing out this strange side of him. Cody tensed for a moment, but relaxed as Noah found the right words.

"As much as I want to be alone right now... you being here feels like an improvement on my suggestion. Stay."

Cody saw the pain in his eyes and sat back down. Sierra can wait. Consequences be darned.

And so Noah told Cody about his time with Emma. While less than half a year has passed, he rambled on about how much he really liked her. He thought she liked him too. He mentioned all those times where they were so close to doing something romantic only to be interrupted by Owen or the school bell ringing. 

Then the mood went down as Noah talked about walking her out the school when suddenly a car pulled up, revealing a handsome boy who turned out to be his only dream girl's boyfriend.

"His name's Jake. Nice guy. Seems like a nerd but looks like a million bucks. I knew I couldn't compete with someone like that. It took every gut I had to confess my feelings to her a few hours ago, but she said that even if things were different, she still wouldn't see me as anything more than a friend. And... I guess I have to live with that.

"It's good we got some closure and remained friends, at least. I mean it's gonna take a while for me to move on, but you know... whatever." Noah shrugged as he finished.

"Wow... sorry dude, I didn't know you went through all that," Cody muttered incredulously. 

"Whatever. Right now, I'm more worried about you and your so-called relationship," said Noah, with a hint of concern in his voice. 

"It's fine, Noah. I'll figure it out."

"Really?" Noah asked skeptically.

"Hey, don't worry about me. I'm invincible."

"And I just worked up the nerve to let you into my soul. It's time you even the odds."

The geek sighed. Noah had a point. 

"Ever since the year started, she's been awfully nice to me. It was flattering and I wanted more friends so we hung out a lot. We only went on one date not long before this party began, and mind you that date nearly got us in jail because she wanted us to get matching tattoos!

"Then all of a sudden she claimed me as her boyfriend in front of everyone! I did not consent to this, Noah," Cody ranted. "I only said yes because I didn't want to hurt her in front of everyone... not after everything she's done for me."

Noah winced. He mentally slapped himself for not making time to see Cody these past few months. He had been so distracted by Emma and his studies, he never had the motivation to find Cody. Sure he thought about him, but he's not telling him that.

"That really bites... I'm... so sorry, Cody." 

"I'll be fine. Like I said: I'm invincible!" 

The bookworm smirked and rose from the sofa.

"Is that so? Why not test your invincibility by playing a game of pool with me?" Noah asked rather cockily.

Cody jumped to his feet. "Yes! We should make a winner's bet!" 

"Bold of you to want your own ass handed to you. You do realize no one has beaten me yet, right?"

"Take emphasis on 'yet', Noah. There's a first time for everything. I picked up some of your tricks and I don't plan on stopping there. Now, about the bet..."

Noah places a hand on his hip and places the other on the wooden edge of the pool table. "I'm listening."

"Whoever wins has to be kissed on the cheek by the loser."

Noah blushed for a moment and shook his head, smiling. "Okay... For the record, I did not ask you to play pool just so you could kiss me on the cheek."

"Wrong, Noah. It was so that you could kiss me on the cheek."

"Heh. In that case you're on."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who will win the game?  
> Whose cheek is going to get kissed?  
> Did Sierra tear her own house apart looking for Cody?  
> And how will Cody and Sierra's relationship end?
> 
> The next chapter will only reveal the pool game, so it should be short. After that, Part 3 of the Fiasco will be revealed.


	5. Pool Me Close

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There can only be one winner at the end of this chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You could tell I was lazy when I wrote this. Proceed with caution and hopefully you won't cringe. Feel free to leave a kudos if you liked it anyway.

While Noah set up their game, Cody pulled out his phone to text Sierra. After making a few taps, Noah looked over his shoulder and chortled.

"A bathroom issue? I'll never forget the day you had that after losing an eating challenge to Izzy."

Cody gasped and shoved Noah playfully, his cheeks slightly burning, "Dude, stop!"

Noah laughed as he snatched Cody's phone to add a few more words.

"Noah, if you say something embarrassing I swear!"

"Don't worry." Noah tossed the geek's phone back in his hands, "I put in a good word for you."

Cody blinked in surprise before looking at his phone. The longer he read his own message, the wider he grinned.

_Hey, Sierra. I dare you to play hide and seek with me. I'm already hidden and you have to find me BLINDFOLDED! Take your time. After all, that's what true love is all about, right?_  
_\- Cody_

"Has anyone ever told you that you're amazing?" Cody asked rhetorically. 

"Hmm..." Noah bit his lip. "A few times, but I could stand to hear it more from you."

Cody smirked coyly. "Maybe I will if you beat me."

"Famous last words."

After a flip of the coin and choosing their designated balls and pockets, with Noah making sure Cody knew the rules, the duo went off to a good start with each turn. While Cody cheered Noah on, the latter scrutinized the former's moves carefully. The bookworm was impressed, but his face remained unfazed.

"Not bad. I might be looking at a future champion," Noah blankly commented.

Cody's eyes widened. "Whoa, high praise from the king! I mean, I have been leaning more into billiards, but it feels great knowing I'm good at pool for starters."

"I'm glad my tedious voice arouses your motivation somehow." 

Noah instantly shoots three stripes into his own pockets. The geek's mouth hung open.

"Wha-- how!?"

"I saw an opportunity and I took it. Want me to teach you?" 

"And help me win? Yes please!"

Despite this, Noah leans his cue stick against the table and walks over to Cody's side with his eyes glued on the remaining balls' positions on the table. He stands behind Cody, who was already aimed at the cue ball, and rested a hand on top of his, which held the stick. Their cheeks were an inch away from each other, as Noah focused. Cody heard his heart banging his ears, but relaxed in his touch. Noah guides Cody's hands to hold the stick more properly and guides his aim in the right direction.

"You have a better shot of getting those balls in your pockets by aiming roughly... here." 

Cody felt a twinge of disappointment as Noah's hands left his. He was too lost in thought to take the shot until Noah called his name. He shook his head and focused, striking the cue ball, which knocked three of his designated balls into their pockets, just as Noah predicted. 

A few turns later, Cody finally shot all of his balls into their pockets, leaving Noah to do the same.

"I missed this... you know, just the two of us hanging out. I kind of thought you gave up on me. You never replied to my messages or answered my calls."

Noah pauses his turn. "Yeah... I was going through a lot."

"A text would've been nice. I wanted to give up on you!"

"And I wanted to hate you, but I guess fate had other plans."

"You... what?"

Oh shit, what have I done? Noah thought. The bookworm sighed in defeat.

"Look, ever since we met, you never stopped trying to be my friend. I found it annoying. For a while, I tried to hate you. I tried to ignore you. I tried to avoid you, yet you always kept on finding me. It's not because you're you... my older siblings always pretended to be nice to me so they can make me do what they want. I guess I always thought people who always seem so nice and easy to please are the ones who have the darkest and most selfish ulterior motives.

"But over the years I started to realize how unlikely that was for you. You're just a sweet guy in need of a friend. It took me too long to see that in you."

Noah uses up his turn and makes another successful shot.

"And I really don't understand why you wanted to be friends with a hardass like me in the first place. I was kind of a jerk to you when we were kids, you know... even though we hung out often."

Cody winced at the blunt truth that escaped Noah's lips. He sighed deeply and gripped the cue stick in his hands.

"You were always sitting alone when we were kids. Even back then I had the empathy to understand that no one deserves to feel that way. Maybe you were mean to me and I did cry over that, but I guess somewhere in my head I never stopped believing you needed a friend."

Shocked, Noah replied, "Of all the social butterflies in your class, you picked me. I... I don't know what to say. Thank you."

"You're welcome. And Noah?"

"Yea?"

Cody leaned forward, his gaze shifting between the cue ball and the bookworm standing across him. 

"Even though we're in separate classes, I hope we always have moments like this." He strikes the ball. 

Noah feels sentimental for a moment, then his mouth hung in shock.

"Like winning?"

Cody blinked in confusion before looking at the pool table. He realized he shot the eight ball into the pocket he nominated and shrieked.

"No way! I won!

"I know."

"You're not mad are you?"

Noah shook his head. "I'm not a bad sport, you know. But I'm actually impressed! I guess there is a first time for everything after all."

"My dream of becoming a billiards champion is finally within my reach!" Cody beamed.

"First of all, we played pool not billiards. There's a difference. Second, since when did becoming a billiards champion become your dream?"

Cody crossed his arms and smirked playfully. 

"Easy: it started with you. Speaking of which, I believe you owe me a kiss on the cheek."

Noah rolled his eyes, snickering.

"That was the deal."

The bookworm walked to Cody's side of the pool table, both eyes never looking away. If Cody didn't know better, he thought Noah was suddenly going soft on him. Cody gasped lightly as he felt Noah's lips exhale just inches from his cheek. That smell... was that peppermint? Must be. Cody braced for impact until--

"I FOUND YOU, CODYKINS!" Sierra shouted from atop the basement stairs. 

Everyone in the basement flinched with fright. Cody felt even more disappointed... not just because Sierra came, but because Noah pulled away without giving him that kiss.

Wait... what?

"You sure took your time," Noah deadpanned.

"I did! I had to rely on my sniffing senses in order to find him," Sierra explained while taking her blindfold off. She then grabbed Cody and started dragging him away.

"Thank goodness, I can finally breathe again! Come on, everyone upstairs is waiting for us!"

"I... highly doubt that," Cody groaned, shooting Noah a dejected look as he was being taken away in Sierra's arms. The bookworm watched them leave. Once they were gone, he slammed his palm against his forehead, cursing himself and shaking his head in disappointment.

\----  
Once the party was finally over, Noah offered to take Cody home after getting picked up by his mom. Throughout the drive, Cody refused to meet his eyes and stared out the window. Remorsefully, Noah picked up his phone to send a few texts. No way was he gonna talk with his mom hearing everything.

_You ok? Sorry, I really didn't know Sierra was gonna ruin the moment._

Cody curiously took out his phone after feeling it vibrate in his pocket. His eyes widened before sharing a glance with Noah. Smiling sadly, he replied:

_Don't worry about it! I'm not mad at you. I just wish Sierra didn't embarrass me so much with the PDA back at the party._

Noah frowned at the text.

_If it makes you feel any better, I really wanted to save you but I didn't wanna risk getting kicked out an hour before getting picked up._

_Lol gee thanks, you jerk._

The two laughed, then got interrupted by Noah's mom.

"Getting cozy back there?" She asked, winking at the mirror.

"Mom!" Noah hissed. 

"I only asked because we're at Cody's house now. I hope you enjoyed the party."

"It was great. Thanks for the ride!" He smiled sadly at Noah before exiting the car. The bookworm hastily unbuckled his seatbelt and followed him out.

"Wait! I'll walk you to your door."  
  
The couple stood on Cody's doorstep for a long moment of silence. Every time their eyes met, they looked away awkwardly.

"So..." Cody started. "I'm glad you don't hate me anymore."

Noah groaned. "Tried, Cody. I tried to hate you. I guess you win that too."

"But that means you like me now, right?"

Noah shook his head. This guy is hopeless. He walked closer and pressed his lips on Cody's cheek, rendering him red and speechlees. What Cody didn't know was that Noah forgot he owed him a kiss in the first place. It wasn't until after it happened that made Noah blush back. Despite this, he smiled softly.

"Always have."

Cody stood there, stunned as Noah began to make his way back to the car.

"I always knew you had a soft side!" he shouted. The bookworm paused in his tracks and looked back with a chill smirk.

"Take the compliment and run, Anderson. Good night."

Cody smiled and waved as the car drove off. He softly caressed the cheek where he was kissed. He remembered how it made him feel, how it made his heart drum a new beat in his chest, and how much it hurt when it was over knowing they're not a couple, and knowing he was trapped in a relationship that wasn't mutually declared. 

But the negativity didn't matter. At least not for tonight.

Of all the kisses he received that night, with none being on his lips thanks to dodging every opportunity Sierra tried to take, Noah's kiss was the best one so far.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The school's homecoming will be underway in the next chapter. The bad news is: Cody and Sierra will break up then. Or is that good news?  
> The good news is: Noah and Cody will confess near the end of their first year.
> 
> Will Noah attend homecoming at all? Are Noah and Cody gonna save the last dance for each other despite how badly things turn out?
> 
> Who knows? All will be revealed in the third and final part of Freshman Fiasco.


	6. A Daycare Moment: My Other Half

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 12 Years Ago since their Freshman Year
> 
> Cody's attempts to befriend Noah continues. And this particular moment started with a fun activity known as "sharing".

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be adding short, random moments of their childhood every now and then. I don't watch Total Dramarama and I'm not interested in it given the context behind every episode where the creators torture a group of toddlers, especially Cody. 
> 
> Not. Cool. Fresh.
> 
> Mentioned Character: Max

_**12 Years Ago**_

Noah sat alone on a bench in the playground, his eyes glued on a picture book. His expression turned from neutral to sour upon Cody's arrival.

"Hi Noah! Where's your lunch?" 

"I ate it," Noah answered with his eyes averted from Cody's.

"Oh, cool! I bet it was yummy. Our maid at home made two sandwiches and I was wondering if--"

"No."

Cody's face fell. "N-No?"

"You heard me. Go away." Noah then felt a tingling sensation, prompting Cody to giggle.

"Looks like your tummy doesn't want me to leave."

"Well my lips want you to go!"

"Okay." The little geek took out a napkin, placed it on the table, and gently laid half of his sandwich on it. "In case you change your mind, maybe this will help you unwind. See ya!"

And he skipped away.

Bewildered, Noah stared at the triangular slice resting before him. Perhaps that apple wasn't enough, he thought. Once Cody was out of view, he took the sandwich in his hand and tried it. It tasted like... barbecue? That was unique. He only tasted it once and enjoyed it. Never did he expect his tastebuds to find it again so soon. The little nerd hummed pleasantly and continued eating it to the last bite.

Unknown to him, Cody was bullied yet again by a kid named Max, who dumped him in the rubbish bin when no one was looking. Just when the little geek was about to cry, he saw Noah enthusiastically eating his half of the sandwich he offered and grinned. 

Perhaps Noah needed a friend more than he realized.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Should I write more stuff like this?


	7. A Freshman Fiasco (Part 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ah homecoming. Romantic, isn't it? 
> 
> Cody was looking forward to it all year. Will he enjoy it? Or will it add to his neverending list of recipes for disaster?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 100+ Hits?  
> 21 Kudos?  
> 1 Bookmark?
> 
> Thank you so much!!!
> 
> Just so we're clear: I do NOT hate Sierra... but this chapter really brings out her toxicity as a possessive and obsessive person. If you're a Sierra or Coderra fan, I urge you to go back. Not to worry though, Sierra will get her redemption chapter soon.
> 
> That's the only warning. Everything else should be all fluff and no bluff. Anyways, enjoy!
> 
> Mentioned Characters: DJ, Geoff
> 
> I apologize in advance for any grammatical errors.

Months passed and Cody's paranoia increased even further since he unwittingly became Sierra's boyfriend. She follows him to the men's room for crying out loud! Do "boundaries" even exist to her? Although it was nice to have other friends as an excuse to get away from her, she always found him somehow and scared everyone away in order to keep him for herself. He felt more like a pet than a boyfriend, and it made him miserable.

Homecoming almost felt like another opportunity to stay at home.

No. 

Trapped relationship or not, Cody vowed to have fun! Sure, he didn't need to attend homecoming since he'll be getting his chance for four years, but it would be foolish to miss out on his first homecoming on his first year.q

One of the only times Cody's parents got involved in his life was when he needed a new look: the more sophisticated the attire the better. His hair was combed with his fringe styled neatly, and he wore a black waistcoat suit that fits him like a glove. 

Despite his heart being in the wrong place, Cody still looked handsome and ready to go. He smiled when his parents complimented him, but inside he felt empty... waiting for something better. If only he remembered what that was.  
  
Perhaps he needed something real. 

When Cody saw Sierra that night, she looked great! While she kept her current hairstyle, the torso of her purple dress sparkled like a hundred real diamonds were attached to it. And just when he thought he was already too short for her, he noticed she was still wearing heels. Unsure of their relationship, Cody's parents declined the offer to take a picture. Sierra didn't care about their approval, she was the one who wanted all their memories to herself after all. 

After getting to school on a limousine owned by Sierra's father, the odd couple entered the gymnasium, which was adorned with streamers bridged onto a handmade ceiling ornament, the walls covered with dark curtains, and the floor slightly coated with glitter. The homecoming committee really outdid themselves! 

"Eee! I can't believe we're here. Quick, give me a kiss!" Squealed Sierra.

"Maybe later," Cody said.

"Hush, no more delays. I want your lips on mine now!"

"Sierra, I said---"

"Oh a photobooth! We can kiss there."

"Wait!"

She wouldn't listen! No matter how hard Cody tried to escape, she only pulled him closer. And did she kiss his lips? Inevitably, yes. Cody was forced to accept it, but kept his mouth closed every time. It felt awkward. Gross even. Whenever they were apart, Cody hastily washes his face. 

The longer they were together, the more possessive she's been. She's not the same girl he met at the beginning of the year. Is this who she really was? Oh what Cody would give to believe it isn't true...

After being forced to dance to every song while stealing kisses and spaces in between, Cody finally had enough. 

"I said stop, Sierra! What part of that don't you understand!?"

His cry for help alerted everyone in the room. Even the DJ in charge of the music had to tone it down.

"Is everything okay, Cody?" Trent asked.

"No! Nothing is okay. Sierra, I'm sorry, but I can't do this anymore!"

"I don't understand! Did I do something wrong?"

She still didn't seem to get it. 

"Oh, gee where do I begin?" Cody began. "First of all, you've been nothing but clingy and constantly invading my space."

"I just wanna be close to you! Is that so wrong?"

"It wouldn't have been if you stopped scaring everyone away!"

"Dude, that was a bit harsh," Geoff intervened.

Cody winced. Perhaps Geoff was right.

"I was jealous! I have to be a part of your life. I'm your girlfriend!" Sierra cried.

Or not. Cody violently shook his head. 

"No. You're. Not! We only went on one date and after that you backed me into a corner at your party declaring we were in a relationship. I never knew about it until that night. Heck, I never asked you to be my girlfriend in the first place!"

"Sierra... is that true?" Zoey gasped.

"Yeah... you didn't put Cody in a tight spot just to make him agree to be your boyfriend, did you?" Mike added.

"No, never! I thought that's what we both wanted. I love him and he loves me! He said so. That's how it works," Sierra argued, her sanity hanging on edge.

"No, that's what you wanted," Cody answered back. "I only said I loved you because I didn't want to hurt you!"

"But you did anyway. I hope you're happy, Cody! I thought you loved me but obviously you used me."

"What!?" Cody gasped. "Sierra, I'm sorry but don't you--"

"Quiet! I don't care about your excuses. You don't deserve me and that's that. Goodbye, Cody!"

And with a turn of her heel, Sierra dashed out of the gym, leaving everyone astonished.

"Ooookay.... so that happened," said Harold. "Now that the drama's over, let's keep this party going!"

While most of the students returned to dancing and bonding over what just happened, Cody felt mixed faces staring at him.

"Cody! Are you okay?" Zoey stepped in.

"I'm so sorry that happened to you," Mike added, then glared at those who were watching. "And I'm sure those who were present should SHOW SOME RESPECT BY MINDING THEIR OWN BUSINESS."

"Thanks for being there, guys. I never should've snapped at Sierra like that," Cody sighed deeply.

"Hey, it's not all your fault!" Owen stepped in.

"Yeah, dude," Trent added.

"Trent and I weren't exactly there when Sierra declared you as her boyfriend... but I didn't need to be there to know you weren't happy about that happening," Gwen chimed in.

"Wait, what? How would you know?" Cody asked.

"Dude, I'm not blind. I knew you had a crush on me for a while. And since we've been decent friends for a bit, I know you well enough that you're too sweet to use someone to make me jealous."

"W-wait, you knew?"

"Trent confirmed it before he asked me out. Sorry, Cody... I know it feels like a second blow to the head but I want you to know that I'll always love you as a friend."

Cody smiled. 

"You do?"

"That's a promise." Gwen offers a fistbump, which Cody eagerly accepted.

"I hope we cheered you up a bit, dude," Trent spoke softly.

The geek nodded. "Yeah... I do feel better. Thanks."

"And hey if Sierra bothers you again, I can always call the SWAT team! I found their phone number on my parents' nightstand," Izzy said as she gave Cody a crumpled paper with the number on it, "I dunno why they have it there. Ah well, it might be useful for you though!"

"Three guesses it has something to do with someone in this room," Gwen chuckled. 

Izzy raised her hand. "Oh! Was it Mike? Or Chester? Or Vito? Or Ma--"

"Izzy!" Mike coughed loudly.

"Don't worry, Mike. It's not for you," Zoey reassured him.

"Man what a night! If only Noah was here to see this," Owen laughed. 

Cody blinked with surprise. That's right: Noah was missing! He was too focused on trying to end his relationship with Sierra he forgot Noah existed.

"Noah! Where is he?"

"We don't know," Mike answered. "I think he spoke to Manitoba at some point, saying he wasn't going."

"Who's Manitoba? I never heard of him," Cody mentioned.

Mike scratched his neck awkwardly. "Let's just say he's a part of my life."

"Well, I have to find mine. If he's not here then maybe I shouldn't have come after all."

"And miss out on your one chance to free yourself from the clutches of a stalker?" Gwen retorted.

"And hang out with us?" Owen added.

"You're having the time of your life already!" Mike added.

"Why don't you take a breather? I heard DJ and his friends playing Would You Rather by the lockers. Maybe that will ease your mind!" Trent suggested.

Cody grinned. 

"You know what? I'll try that!"

Upon exiting the gym to unwind, Cody noticed a familiar figure closing his locker. Immediately recognizing him, the geek sprinted in hopes of catching him.

"Noah, hey!" 

With his name called out, Noah turned to see a well-dressed Codester running towards him.

"Cody! You look..." Noah trailed off, his eyes checking out the geek from head to toe. His lips curled into a short smile. "Stunning. You clean up well."

Cody blushed and hunched his shoulders shyly.   
"Thanks, I... I thought you were going to attend homecoming."

"I was studying in advance for the upcoming Spelling Bee in two weeks. Plus I didn't really feel like going."

Cody crossed his arms.

"Noah, I hope Emma didn't have something to do with not attending homecoming."

Noah scratched his head and looked away.

"I mean, kind of? She's attending her boyfriend's homecoming at his school, thus her absence here. And I really don't see the importance of attending without a partner."

"Well, I'm here now so..."

"You have Sierra."

"Yeah... no. We broke up."

Noah's eyed widened. "Did... did I ask or...?"

Cody remained silent.

"I'm sorry... how are you holding up?"

"'Free, I guess?" Cody muttered. "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad we broke up. But to lose her as a friend... I don't know how to deal with that. She was so nice to me before... you know."

"Before she unveiled her true nature as the infamous Cody Anderson Stalker Fanzilla?" Noah guessed rhetorically. 

"Yeah, that."

Cody sagged against the lockers and sunk to the floor, hugging his knees.

"This is so not how I wanted my first homecoming to go," he whimpered as he buried his face in his knees.

Unsure of what to say, Noah walked right next to him and leaned against a closed locker.

"If it makes you feel any better, you don't have to worry about losing me."

Cody lifted his head slightly and stared up at the bookworm leaning next to him.

"You promise?"

"Yep," Noah nodded before kneeling to Cody's level. "Surprise, chump: you're never getting rid of me."

He offered his hand and Cody took it. They both rose to their feet, eyes lingering at each other's. 

"After everything I did to get your attention, I'm not planning on it," Cody chuckled.

"Good. Now get back in there and dance like it's your last day on earth."

Cody shook his head.   
"I was looking for DJ. He and some of his friends are playing Would You Rather. You should join!"

"No thanks. I'm not in the mood. I gotta go home soon."

"Will you at least stay for one dance?"

Noah sighed.

"Fine. But only because I know you won't take no for an answer."

"You know me too well," Cody teased before grabbing Noah's hand. "To the dance floor!"

Once Cody led Noah to the gym, their visions were filled with couples gently swaying to the beat of sentimental music. Cody glanced at the bookworm next to him and looked away shyly once they made eye contact.

"Um... I know this is gonna sound awkward but... if you were to dance with anyone in this room, who would you go with?" Cody asked.

Noah smirked knowingly as he answered, "depends on who it's from."

"Right... so if say hypothetically someone you knew asked you to dance with them, would you..." Cody trailed off and saw Noah's face getting more smug by the second. Playfully, he shot Noah an annoyed look.

"You... you know what I'm trying to say, don't you?"

"No, but please keep squirming. It's adorable," Noah teased.

"Listen jerk," Cody laughed as he offered his hand. "Do you wanna slow dance with me or not?"

"I thought you'd never ask."

Nervously, Noah took his hand and pulled Cody close as he guided him to the dance floor. Cody wasn't sure how to follow the beat, so he carefully followed Noah's moves until they were synchronized. 

"Since when do you dance?" Cody asked.

"My parents made me take up lessons on weekends back in middle school. You know how it is with my family. We strive to aim high."

"I always thought it was your parents' strategic move to get you out of the house."

Noah chuckled. "I guess you're right. I remember being grumpy on the first two weeks without my video games in hand... and for having to dance with a partner I can't stand."

"I hope you find me tolerable," Cody mumbled, his face buried against Noah's shoulder.

"I find your lack of self-esteem intolerable," Noah admitted before giving Cody a spin. 

"Whoa!"

"But at least it gives me a million opportunities to remind you of how amazing you are."

Cody gasped and jerked his head up at Noah's words. They locked eyes for a moment and smiled softly at one another. It was as if time slowed down and everything around them became a blur. Did Noah really mean all that? He never said something so sweet before! Cody's body felt so warm it was radiating off him like waves which only Noah felt. 

"You... you think I'm amazing?"

"In a nutshell, yeah--oof!"

Without warning, Noah felt Cody's chest crash against his as the geek dashed in for a hug. His arms were wrapped tightly around his neck and his face buried in his chest. For a moment, Noah was unsure of how to react, but he refused to miss this chance again. He gently rested his arms around the small of Cody's back and held him close. He buried his nose in Cody's hazelnut hair, inhaling the sweet scent of... candy?

Someone call the dentist, Noah's got a cavity! This geek was too sweet for his own good.

Once he felt reality take over, Noah looked around and realized some of his classmates were snickering at them. He noticed Cody was still hugging him.

"Uh... people are staring..." Noah whispered. 

"I don't care," Cody murmured in his chest.

The bookworm blinked for a moment then smiled softly.

"You know what? Neither do I."

(\°v°/)

After fifteen minutes of dancing and putting up with Izzy's merciless teasing, Noah declared his leave while Cody offered to escort him home. Though the geek should be home before midnight, Cody left several hours earlier than expected. After the whole Sierra fiasco, he was more in the mood to blend in with the lockers and avoid everyone.

"I never walked home this late before," Cody muttered, breaking the silence.

"That's easy for you to say. I never walked home at all. I told my parents I was walking home with you and they were surprisingly okay with that."

"At least your parents do pick you up."

"Yours are a piece of work aren't they," Noah scoffed. He eyed Cody from head-to-toe and smiled lightly. "At least they know how to prep their son."

"Dude, stop. I can't take so many compliments in one night," giggled Cody.

Noah raised his hands into submission. "Alright."

They continued walking home in silence. Normally Cody would be scared of walking in the dark, but with Noah around, he forgot the fact that he should be scared. Maybe he was too distracted by their banter to be concerned about what lurks in the dark. 

Or maybe...

"I know Sierra's a girl, but if it wasn't for Owen restraining me I probably would've gotten detention from beating the crap out of her after what she did to you," Noah went on.

"I didn't know you were that worried about me. That's so sweet!"

Noah wrinkled his nose at him.  
"First of all: sweet is not my forte. Second of all, I'm your friend so of course I have a right to be worried."

"But you don't care enough to risk your permanent record for anyone's sake. I know you!"

"Except you're not just anyone, Cody. You're... you," Noah spoke softly.

"I don't follow..." Cody mumbled.

"You mean a lot to me. There, I said it!" Noah snapped, his face beet red.

"Noah..." Cody gasped before flashing his sweet gap-toothed smile. "You mean a lot to me too!"

"Whatever..." Noah grumbled with his hands deeply shoved inside his pockets.

After a long walk, with Cody pleading for Noah to let loose and wear a suit on the next formal event, they finally reached Cody's house.

"Wait! It's too dangerous to go home by yourself," Cody yelped.

"I know how to get home from here. I'll be fine."

The geek sighed. Knowing how stubborn the bookworm was, there's no point in arguing.

"Right... text me when you get home. Please!"

"I will." Noah trailed off for a moment then took a deep breath. "Also, if it's not too much to ask..."

Cody curiously stepped closer. "I'm listening."

"With the Spelling Bee coming up, I was wondering if you and I could hang out at the library after school. It would mean a lot if you came."

Cody grinned. "You must really miss me, huh?"

Noah rolled his eyes.  
"Your words, not mine. Are you in?"

"Of course! It's a date." Cody suddenly realized what he said and recoiled. "I-I mean uh, you... you know what I mean, right?"

"Sure, dude. Night."

"Good night. Like I said, text me!" Cody shouted as he watched Noah walk out of sight.

"I love you..."   
Albeit it was barely a whisper, Cody blushed madly at the words that escaped his lips. He covered his mouth and rushed to his room before sliding his back down the door.

He can't love Noah... it's too soon to admit that! And even if it was true, did Noah feel the same way? Would their relationship last? That is if he had a chance to have a go at it. 

Even worse: what will become of their friendship if he suddenly told Noah how he felt? His vision grew blurry and clumsily wiped his tears away as he insulted himself. Stupid hormones! 

He knew how he felt and he couldn't deny it anymore.

"I... I like him."

_Get it together, Cody. Don't let your feelings jeopardize our friendship. I can't bear the thought of losing him. Not like this._

His overthinking was shortly interrupted by a text.

**_Noah_ **

_You can breathe now. I just got home._

**_Cody_ **

_Thank goodness... I can finally sleep._

**_Noah_ **

_G'night._

**_Cody_ **

_Night!!!_  
  
Relieved by the text, Cody took off his clothes, slipped into his pajamas and tucked himself in bed thinking of Noah until he fell asleep.

Maybe he does like him back.  
Because little did Cody know: Noah was going through the exact same dilemma.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't think the question is "will he feel the same way?" but rather "how will they confess?"
> 
> I'll give you a hint: it has something to do with celebrating someone's victory.


	8. More Than Friends (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part 1 of 2 because apparently I typed too much again.
> 
> Cody helps Noah prepare for the Spelling Bee.  
> But with Justin getting in the way, will he hinder Noah's chances of winning...
> 
> Or worse: will he jeopardize their friendship?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Featured character: Justin  
> Mentioned characters: Leshawna, Katie, Sadie
> 
> This chapter contains swearing from Noah's angry potty mouth.
> 
> Proceed with caution.

The next few weeks after prom have been uneventful. Cody took every possible turn to avoid Sierra, and the latter did the same. Well mostly. With having less than half a year to put up with her before hopefully moving to a different class in his Sophomore year, the geek wasn't sure if he'd last. Mike and Zoey protected him from her when she searched for him. Leshawna sometimes stepped in whenever Sierra was in the mood to harass him, and Harold would swoop in to take him to the computer room to cool off. 

At least his classmates started to care about his safety. Pitiful or not, Cody felt grateful.

After school, Cody and Noah went in the library to study like they planned. It was perhaps one of the best highlights of Cody's freshman year.

And maybe for Noah too.

On the day before the contest, Cody was on his way to the library for a last-minute cram, when suddenly he was interrupted by a guy who slammed his hand against a locker as he was about to pass by, forcing Cody to flinch and stop in his tracks. 

"What the heck, Justin?" Cody snapped.

"I think the word you're looking for is 'hello handsome'."

Cody rolled his eyes. "Yes, hello handsome wannabe. May I go now?"

"Not until you do me a favor," came Justin's demand through his disarming plastic smile. "You really need to stop helping Noah after school. Trust me, it'll do you a lot of good in the long run."

The geek glared. "He's my friend, I want him to win."

Justin laughed as he slowly started to circle Cody. "You really don't get it, do you? Noah's doing the Spelling Bee for a reason."

"If you're trying to manipulate me into hating Noah, I won't hesitate to--"

"He's only doing this for Emma, Cody," he interjected back.

"Yeah right. Noah knows she has a boyfriend."

"The point is, you're influencing a Sierra 2.0 here. Noah doesn't care about how far he would go to impress a girl, even if she does have a boyfriend. And he'll use anyone to get what he wants."

Justin leans into Cody's ear and whispered.

"Even fake friends like you."

Cody's eyes widened indignantly. Given the dictionary he was carrying, he was this close to ruining Justin's perfect face with it. He grabbed the model's shirt and pulled him down to his face.

"News flash, playboy scum: you just barked up the wrong tree. You don't know Noah like I do. I may look like a punching bag in this school but I'm the last person you want to manipulate."

Justin shoves Cody, slamming him against the locker before straightening his now wrinkled designer top. 

"Your threats are cute. I'm just stating the facts here. If you wanna know the truth go ahead and ask your boyfriend. Heh, maybe if you beg he would finally stop pretending to like you."

"You've got some nerve talking out of your ass, Anti-Me," Noah snarled.

"Uh..." Cody trailed off. "Do you two have some sort of rivalry going on?"

"A rivalry to which he always loses. It's why you decided to join this little kiddy game, isn't it Noah?"

Try spelling _lay-say fair_ before you underestimate him, Cody deadpanned inwardly.

Noah sighed. "Yes, it's true. At first I didn't want to join that stupid contest... mostly because it's a family tradition for every child to win and I can't be bothered playing intellectual games against anyone with an IQ lower than a hundred and eighty. 

"And yeah, you made me to do this after your sad attempt at trying to disclose my feelings in front of everyone, including Emma, at that stupid Never Have I Ever game. Do you actually think my pride will allow me to let you get away with that?"

"It seems you already have," Justin retorted with an icy grin. "And in order for you to win, you had to involve poor Cody in your little scheme to make me look like a fool. Give the guy a break, man. The dude's been through a messy breakup, and you're rubbing his wounds with salt by using him? That's low, even for you."

Noah lowered his head and tightened his fists, cautiously considering his next move while Cody's heart clenched at his silence.

"You... you used me?" Cody asked, his voice breaking.

Noah tilted his gaze at Cody and gave him a look. Determination is what it was. 

"At first that Spelling Bee was my ticket to prove to everyone at your party I'm better than you. I did it to prove to Emma that I was worthy of her, which was before she told me she was dating someone else. I lost my edge, I lost my focus, but even after that, I still didn't bail. I didn't choose to stay in the game for her sake anymore. 

"I'm in it to win, to remind idiots like you that underestimating me will be your wake up call."

He turned to Cody with remorse, but quickly softened when he saw the geek smile.

"But I'd never use my friends, especially Cody. He's the only decent human being in this school who really gets me. And in case you haven't noticed, I've always been a loner with the tendency to scare everyone away with a single glance. As much as I tried pushing Cody away, I could never use his kindness for my own benefit."

Noah took Cody's hand and pulled him away from Justin, wrapping his arm protectively around the geek's shoulder.

"He... means a lot to me. And for some reason he never stopped putting up with me." 

From a soft smile for Cody, to a death glare for Justin, Noah slowly walked forward as the model slowly backed away and spoke venomously.

"So if you try to screw with him, about me or otherwise, I promise you: there will be hell to pay."

"I..." Justin stammered, his lips twitching as he's finally lost for words. "You think a scrawny scamp like you can threaten me?"

"I just did," Noah grumbled, their faces inches away from each other. "And for the record, Katie and Sadie won't take very kindly to your hypocrisy once I tell them what you really did after you asked them to help you with your trig homework. I can tell them where their missing pages went."

Justin gasped horridly. "You wouldn't dare."

"Try me or shut the hell up. Come on, Cody."  
With that, Noah took a speechless Cody's hand and dragged him into the library, leaving Justin simmering at them.

"You'll regret crossing me, Mr. Noah-It-All!"

* * *

The duo spent fifteen minutes in silence at the library. Neither of them looked each other in the eye and tension filled the air. Or was it something else? Noah felt awful for putting Cody in such a position earlier. He needed to say something. If there's one thing he can't stand more than Cody's optimism, it's getting blanked by him.

He inhaled sharply. "Cody, I'm really sorry about what happened earlier. I really had no intention of using you."

The geek smiled softly. Noah noticed he was blushing but remained quiet. Anymore and Cody might pass out from the idea of being told his face was burning.

"If that was the case then why apologize?" Cody replied, beaming. "What you said back there was brave! And I think you literally spoke for every defenseless nerd in this school. We've always been looked down upon by the popular crowd, the jocks, the hotties... and you stood up for all of us. For that, I..."

Cody blushed harder.

"I'm glad to be the first geek to hear it from you."

Noah covered his face and sighed with his elbows propped on an open book. 

"Cody, if I wasn't raised by a family who values unrealistic success over feelings, I might actually cry."

"We can happy cry after I help you kick Justin's perfect ass to the road of shame. You got a hardcore spelling bee to win!"

Noah grinned. "Okay but I'm gonna ignore the fact that you called Justin's ass 'perfect'."

"Not as perfect as yours, I'm afraid."

They both froze in place at the awkward comment. A million thoughts raced through Noah's head, half of which are the words he memorized and the other half being the cute, dorky geek standing next to him. Cody flashed a crooked smile, his cheeks tinted pink as he tried resuscitating his supposedly energetic pep talk.

"Be-besides... his butt won't be so perfect once you kick it to the curb. Now, uh, hold on to your pencil and... spell this word for me..."

* * *

_Renaissance_? Easy.

 _Ichthyology_? Child's play.

 _Gubernatorial_? Yawn.

 _Acquiesce_? Been there, seen that.

Etc.

Cody was floored. Every random word he picked up from the dictionary couldn't stand a chance against Noah. 

"Okay, are you sure your IQ is one hundred and eighty? Because I think you're beyond ready for this. You spelled every phonetically deceitful word I could find in the dictionary!" Cody exclaimed incredulously. 

Noah chuckled and scratched the back of his head. "I may have memorized their meanings too, should the occasion arise."

Cody sagged his shoulders in shock. "Dude, how big is your brain?"

"I could ask you the same thing in regards to math."

"Hey, algebra's fun, ya know!"

Noah crossed his arms. "Yeah, sure... try not to say that in front of some brainless jerk."

Cody giggled. 

"I'll keep my guard up." The geek rose from his seat and craned the stack of books in his arms. "You pack up. I'll keep these."

"You sure? I can help," Noah offered uncharacteristically.

Cody shook his head and adjusted the books in his arms, the sweet vanilla scent of his shampoo lingering back as he walked past Noah. "Quiet, you. I'll be right back."

Noah didn't get it. He didn't get it from the start. If Cody was someone else he could've easily scared them off. He unwittingly took pride in being antisocial. But along came Cody and his walls came crashing down like an incomplete brickhouse yielding against a blizzard. 

Emma had that effect on him too, only he wanted her around. He wanted her to like him, but he got let down. 

And Cody? The guy never invaded his privacy unless he was okay with it. He was clingy... but nothing like Sierra. Cody was obsessed with their friendship, but he respected Noah's space enough for him to be his own person. 

What the hell did he do to deserve him?

Just this once: screw apathy.

Cody balanced himself on his toes as he attempted to return a dictionary to its designated shelf. After successfully returning it, he dusted his hands off. That was easy. 

"Oh!" 

He gasped. Noah was right behind him, arms wrapped tightly around his abdomen with his fingers interlaced. He was so close Cody could've sworn his back felt Noah's racing heartbeat clashing against his own. His face flushed a deep crimson as he slowly relaxed against his hugger. 

"Noah... you're hugging me," Cody pointed out. Something about seeing this side of the bookworm scared him a little. Since when did Noah become a hugger? His curiosity turned into disappointment once he no longer felt the heat of Noah's body against his.

"Is that so wrong? I just..." Noah stopped in his tracks, his mind fumbling for the right words. "I don't know what I did to deserve you, that's all."

"Heh, I guess it's kind of cute knowing you're as oblivious as I am sometimes."

Noah narrowed his eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Cody smiled back. "It means you keep giving me infinite opportunities to remind you of how amazing you are."

Noah raised an eyebrow and snickered. "Are you using my words against me?"

Cody grinned back. "Did I stutter? You're amazing!"

"This is different. You're so nice to everyone and, well, I'm not."

Cody shook his head and gently took Noah's hand in his.

"That's because everyone deserves kindness. It brings out the best in us."

It was Cody's turn to hug Noah this time, and that caught the latter by surprise. After a brief moment, Cody pulled away and returned to their desk to pick up his things. Noah followed shortly and did the same task.

"Thanks again for helping me prepare," Noah muttered gratefully.

"Hey, that was all you," giggled Cody. "Anyway, I gotta go."

"You sure you don't wanna go home with me? My dad's picking me up," Noah offered.

"I'll be fine. I kind of have a lot on my mind lately, and it might make me feel better if I walked it off."

"Oh." Noah frowned. "I didn't sound like a douchebag earlier, did I?"

"What? No! Of course not. I just wish I could stop.... thinking... about..."

Cody paused and the same sensation he felt a few minutes ago kicked in again. Noah furrowed his eyebrows with concern.

"Cody?"

Noah slowly reached out to touch Cody's shoulder, but froze in shock as he felt Cody's soft lips press against his cheek. 

"I-I'm sorry I... I should go." Cody turned his heel and ran, leaving Noah alone with his rapidly accumulating thoughts. "See you tomorrow at the contest, Noah; I'll be there to cheer you on!" 

Noah stood there in silence. He could hear his own heartbeat echo in the empty halls, which only quickened once he ran his fingers against his kissed cheek.

He might have known about this a while back, but it still felt surreal.

Cody... likes him?

...

Great... _now_ how is he gonna win that contest tomorrow?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We all know Noah's gonna win the contest.
> 
> But will he win something... or someone better?
> 
> That's what Part 2 is for and it's coming soon!


	9. If Only It Was Real

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cody just wants a peaceful slumber. The last thing he needs are these false reality mental images known as "dreams".

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonus Chapter! Cody dreams of Noah on the night before the Spelling Bee. Not the kind of dream your not-so-innocent mind is thinking, so don't get your hopes up. 
> 
> Wait till he gets older, then use your imagination... I guess.

_It was pitch black, and for some reason I was in deep thought. All I saw was a bench, which I'm currently sitting on. It started to feel like I was outside the school, despite not seeing anything._

_"Where am I?" Nobody answered._

_It's just me. Waiting - in the dark. Alone._

_"Hey."_

_"Noah, hi!" I gasped. Guess I wasn't alone after all. But seriously, where am I? Am I dreaming? And if I am, what's Noah doing here? Not that I'm complaining, but somehow something was compelling me to make a move. If only I knew what._

_Noah said nothing and sat right next to me. I couldn't make out his face, but I knew it was him. Everything was a blur yet I still recognized him._

_"What're you doing here?" I asked._

_"I came to see you." His voice was oddly soft and raspy. It made me shiver despite feeling the unfamiliar warmth radiating through me. Out of the blue, his hand gently reached for mine and I suddenly felt paralyzed. I felt my cheeks burn and I couldn't get rid of the idea of... kissing him._

_"You did?"_

_He leaned in. And I felt the urge to pull myself closer. I felt my heart clenched as he pressed his lips against mine._

_Wait, Noah likes me?! Is this really a dream?_

_The kiss took ages, at least it felt that way. I couldn't kiss back. I was left vulnerable, reduced to a moaning mess as his tongue explored the cavern of my mouth, trying to get a taste of me. I shut my teary eyes. I couldn't take this numbness. I wanted to return the favor._

_I wanted to say it. Consequences be darned._

/(T^T)\

"Noah!" Cody yelped, jolting half of his body out of bed. He shook his dizzy head and rubbed his eyes. Finally, he could see! And right now, he saw...

His room.

So it was a dream!? It felt so real! He remembered every detail of it too. A rosy pink hue washed over his cheeks as he shamefully covered his face. He just screamed Noah's name for crying out loud! Thankfully, he lives in a big house so it shouldn't matter. Still, he heard himself say it and it was embarrassing enough as it is. 

Cody slowly started to hate this. For years he's been pining over his feelings for Noah, mostly over Gwen initially, to the point where it's interfering with his life. What's the point of beating around the bush if it's only going to hurt him in the long run? He learned his lesson with Gwen: he would rather get his feelings over with for the sake of keeping the friendships he worked so hard to gain. With his eyes fuelled with hope, he hopped out of bed, changed into the same attire he wears everyday like everyone else, and left his room with his backpack in hand.

Never mind those hypothetical outcomes. Never mind the fear. Never mind the thought of Noah running away in disgust. Never mind his fragile heart. One way or another, he's going to gobsmack that cynical bookworm in the face with those three heartbreaking words.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know if you want more bonus chapters like this! Noah's about to kick ass... or will he get his ass kicked after getting distracted by you-know-who? 
> 
> The next chapter is a work-in-progress so you'll have to wait. I know, I'm horrible.


	10. More Than Friends (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Spelling Bee is finally underway! And what will become of Noah and Cody's friendship after coming across some plot twists?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Featured Character: Courtney  
> I antagonized Courtney in my previous stories, but in this one she remains neutral. She's definitely one of Noah's rivals, but the latter couldn't care less knowing she's got her own problems (coughDuncancough)
> 
> I got feedback too, finally! I'm not too thrilled about it though but I hope whoever sent the first comment read my reply thoroughly before assuming I hate them, which I don't. I'm not interested in hating anyone. 
> 
> For now, guests can't comment. As much as I don't like the idea, it still feels safer that way.
> 
> UPDATE: I decided to moderate comments instead. Nuff said.

The Spelling Bee has begun. School versus school, with a cash prize on the line, Noah had no idea what he got himself into.

"Um... Mr. McLean, I have so many questions," he spluttered.

"Sorry," Chris, the school headmaster, grinned back. "No time to chat. All I want is for you to win so we can grab the cash and upgrade our school."

"You never told me I was competing against another school. Heck, I didn't even know there was a cash prize."

"Hey, you're a kid. Kids love surprises. Take it and make your school proud! Courtney's the most qualified student in her class so she will be your partner. Have fun, and do not fail me!"

Well, that escalated quickly. 

"Looks like we're partners," Courtney commented.

Noah rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.

"I wish I cared." He slowly turned to face her. "Did you know about any of this?"

"You mean the cash prize and the extensive competition? Not until a minute ago. Our headmaster lost his mind!" she exclaimed.

"Might as well dub him Headless-Master Chris McLean."

Courtney laughed, "ha, good one! I hope you're ready to win."

"Way ahead of you," Noah answered determinedly. "I was looking forward to beating you, but I guess working together might be a good alternative."

Courtney scoffed. "Only if you can keep up."

* * *

The first round was child's play for Noah and Courtney, but they remained neck-and-neck with their rivals. Barely ahead by three points, Noah briefly glanced at the dimmed audience. His confidence drained away slightly and he refused to admit why. It's hard to keep going when you don't know if the guy you like, who helped you come this far doesn't, seem to be there. 

"Hello? Earth to senile? I hope you heard that word right, cause you're up!" Courtney shouted, forcing Noah back to reality.

"Shit! What was it?"

"Haven't you played this game before? When it's your turn, I can't repeat the word for you! I can only finalize your answer with you. You just cost us the bonus round!"

Shit. That one time he stopped paying attention!

Get it together, Noah!

* * *

Cody sprinted in wide strides across the hallway with a slightly toasted slice of bread with hazelnut spread in his teeth. His dream about Noah left him sleeping past his tone deaf alarm. The auditorium must be packed by now, so where the heck is he gonna sit? Out of the corners of his eyes, he saw unfamiliar students exiting the restrooms and skidded across the floor to speak to them.

They mentioned the contest between schools and Cody was rendered dumbfounded. He hastily took a bite of his toast, thanked the students for the shocking information and resumed his sprinting spree, before getting halted by Izzy.

"CODY! THERE YOU ARE!" she screamed in his face, then snatched his breakfast. "Oh, food!"

"What the heck, Iz!?" 

"Shush! I was gonna give Noah this bottle of water, but the guards protecting backstage recognized my face and well, I need you to deliver it for me!"

"Don't they have bottles of water backstage anyway?" Cody asked.

"For the other school, yes. You know how cheap Principal McLean is. Now GO! Noah needs you!" Izzy gave Cody a hard shove, forcing him to double over and nearly fall down. He looked back at her and noticed her wink. 

"Wait... is this a setup for you to get me and Noah together?" Cody sneered.

"Hey, it was my idea to give him some water in the first place. I was gonna ask Big O but he was busy eating all the popcorn. Besides, Noah trusts you! Why would I try to set you up if I don't know how you two feel about each other?"

"You... you have a point."

"Of course I do! These curls may be springy, but they can still kill a guy. RUN CODY, RUN!"

With a single nod, Cody turned his heel and made his way to the auditorium. As usual it was full of people - every introvert's worst nightmare.

* * *

Ahead by a dozen points, Courtney chewed Noah out for every blunder that cost them their points, during their break. 

"What's wrong with you!? I've never seen competitions bring out the worst in you! You'd better get your head in the game or we're going to lose a lot of money to a school that's already rich!"

"How dense do you think I am?" Noah snapped back. "I know what I did wrong, Courtney. You don't get to remind me of that!"

The bookworm walked past Duncan, who had a thermos in his hand.

"Hey, babe. You look parched."

Gratefully, Courtney took the drink bottle and a kiss from the delinquent. "Only because Mr. Noah-It-All kept stressing me out! I'm glad you're here to maintain my sanity."

Duncan nodded. "Hah, sanity? Perhaps. Besides, only I'm the only one who should drive you insane."

Courtney shoved him playfully and giggled, "Oh grow up, ya big lug!"

Dehydrated, demotivated and drained, Noah heard every word and saw every move they made. He thought of Emma for a moment and rested a palm on his forehead. 

_Oh, get over it you sore loser._

Then an image of Cody's gap-toothed smile filled his mind. He sighed heavily. Where is he? He couldn't find him in the suffocating crowd. It's as if all those moments of getting distracted by the thought of Cody, during his turn, was a waste of time and study effort. 

_Why can't I stop thinking about him? He didn't even bother to show up!_

"Noah!" 

Wait, what?

Noah lifted his head and saw Cody running towards him... before falling flat on his face after tripping over nothing. While his anterior was glued flat on the floor, laying intact in his hand was a chilled bottle of water. Noah knelt to his level and pulled him to his feet.

"Dude, you're sweating bullets! What happened?" 

"Late... toast... Izzy... water... win!" Cody slurred with dizziness. He shook his head and their eyes met at a short distance. The lighter brunette recalled his dream and blushed while trying to find the right words to say.

"I-I mean: you only have a few minutes before the next round... so drink!" In a flash, Cody shoved the bottle of water against Noah's vested chest and backed away shyly. The former hugged his knees and buried his face. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be late."

"No." Noah paused to take a long sip, feeling the coolness of the water refuel his strength, and wiped his lips with his sleeve. "I... I'm glad you came. I mean, we're losing, and there's money at stake so..."

Cody lifted his head slightly to give Noah a look. "I have so many questions."

Noah chortled. "Don't bother expecting answers. The only one who can explain it is Chris and so far he's useless."  
He moved his knees towards Cody and lifted his face with a hand on his chin. "Thank you Cody."

Cody grabbed Noah's hand and was pulled to his feet.

"Hey, what're friends for? Make our school proud!"

"Heh, we both know I'm not doing this for the school."

"Right, right, for yourself and whatnot, I get it," Cody snorted with one hand akimbo and the other hand swatting up and down.

Noah chuckled. "No you don't."

Before Cody could ask, they flinched at Courtney nagging for Noah to return on stage. 

"I should go find a seat in the crowd. I'll see you later?" Cody asked.

"Yeah... I'd like that," Noah responded with a scratch on the back of his head. _So much was left unsaid since last night._

The geek took a deep breath and gave Noah a vigorous hug. Albeit it was momentous, Cody cherished those three rapid heartbeats which radiated from the stunned dark brunette.

"You got this!"

"I... thanks."

* * *

The final bonus round was up, and to absolutely nobody's surprise: both schools were tied for first. Chris was biting off his overpriced manicured fingernails at that point. The rivalled principal looked unfazed, almost confident even that they'd win. No one knew what to expect.

"Spell _thantophobia."_

Their rivals spelled it right, but the host didn't admit it. Instead, they were struck by another question that changed everything.

"What is the definition?"

...three... two... one...

"Time's up! Your turn, Noah."

Cody, who found a spot in front, crossed his fingers. Courtney hissed for Noah to ace it. She sighed with relief for even she didn't know the meaning to such a word. 

Noah spelled it right. Thank goodness. His eyes darted across the room filled with dead silence, and finally found Cody's eyes glimmering in the dark. He thought of the word again, took a deep breath, and faced the host.

"Thantophobia is a fear... of losing someone you love."

Cody's heart skipped a beat. He recalled Noah bragging about memorizing the meanings behind every complicated word, thinking about its usefulness in the most unexpected situations. And there he was, conquering the trek of his nightmares in a dark room with dozens of eyes fixated on him. 

And the word... something about it made him feel uneasy. Maybe it's a sign.

"Correct! We have our winner!"

A hoard of cheers boomed throughout the auditorium. Even the other school was impressed! In his excitement, Cody climbed onto the stage and threw his arms around Noah's waist once more, with his classmates accumulating onstage to congratulate him.

"You did it!" Cody cried joyfully.

"MAKE WAY!" Owen screamed before trapping them in a brief yet bone-crushing hug.

"You guys were awesome!" Izzy squealed. 

Courtney reached for the bookworm's shoulder.

"That was impressive! How did you know that?" she asked.

Noah smiled, glancing at Cody before he answered loudly, "What can I say? I have a great study mate."

"Heh, in that case I underestimated you, Noah. Well played!"

Once Courtney left to be congratulated, Noah felt a taller figure pull him away from Cody.

"I'm so proud of you, little bro!"

His entire family came... of course.

"Congrats, son! Another success to our family name."

Noah nodded. "Thanks, dad. I'm letting Court have the trophy though."

As Noah exchanged witty banters with his siblings, Cody watched in awe. He saw some of Noah's family members before, but he never expected a massive family reunion. He didn't want to impose; instead, he searched for a certain greedy principal who jeered at his one-sided mortal enemy.

Returning his attention to Cody, who asked a series of suspenseful questions to their proud principal, Noah curtly asked to borrow the brunette before pulling him aside.

"Apparently my family's hosting a house party for me and my friends, and I was wondering if--"

"Yes! Of course I'll come!" Cody interjected.

"Oh, uh great! That was easy."

The geek bit his lip. "Um, Noah... about last night..."

"Dude you'll have to speak louder. It's chaos in here!"

"Sorry! It's just that I... I was afraid you might--"

"Noah, come along now! You'll need help getting ready."

"Coming, Mom!" Noah glanced back at Cody and backed away hesitantly. "I should get going. I'll see you tonight!"

Disappointed yet relieved, Cody slumped his shoulders and huffed.

"...hate me..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know that dumb moment where you write too much and the chapter becomes too long? I wanna write shorter chapters but something about less elaborating and more talking feels too rushed. 
> 
> If you want me to make my chapters longer I'll be happy to oblige!  
> 


	11. More Than Friends: Their First Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noah and Cody finally confess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is gonna suck terribly, I can feel it.
> 
> Featured Characters: Noah's golden labrador (Let's call him Leo)
> 
> Mentioned characters: Noah's family, Eva, Justin, Owen, Izzy

For the first time in his life, Cody's parents offered to drive him over. Maybe it had something to do with his dad going out to celebrate after getting a promotion. Or perhaps it was because they liked seeing him wear that branded v-neck shirt, leather jacket and those dark jeans they bought ten days after his birthday. Either way, he appreciated their offer. 

Upon reaching the curb next to Noah's house, Cody exited the car.

"Thanks for the lift! Do you think we can do this every week?" Cody asked politely.

"Sorry, I wouldn't count on it, son. Not with our busy schedule coming ahead. It's nice to spend some quality time with you though."

"You barely did..." Cody mumbled. He's obviously thinking about his promotion.

"Look I know we're not parents of the year, but everything we do is for your future. So smile, have fun, and don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"Yes, dad."

The party, in contrast to Noah's siblings having a relaxed conversation in the front yard, was hectic inside. Running around the living room were some of Noah's little cousins. Cody thought to himself, they really went all out by inviting the entire family, huh? He didn't see many familiar faces, which was no surprise to him. Noah didn't have many friends.

Cody saw Eva bonding with what looks like one of Noah's sisters. Who knew they'd hit it off? Izzy and Owen were having another eating contest, and watching them was Noah, who had just about enough of the noise. 

Playfully, Cody snuck up behind the chair Noah sat on and covered his eyes as he pounced an inch behind him. Noah flinched, but relaxed once he heard Cody's voice.

"Surprise!"

Noah turned around and walked around his chair to hug Cody, which caught him by surprise.

"You made it! I'm sorry you had to walk though."

"Huh? Oh, my dad offered to take me here."

The bookworm raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms skeptically. "Oh? Was he suddenly abducted by aliens or something?"

"Har har." Cody rolled his eyes, then scanned Noah's attire: a navy blue cardigan wrapped around a maroon button-up? Now that's a step-up from his usual sweater-vest aesthetic.  
"You look good!"

Noah stared down his clothes before staring at Cody's slender frame. He met Cody's gaze and smirked.  
"Likewise."

"Thanks! I'm starving."

"I'll tell dad to hide the next course from those two," Noah deadpanned as he pointed his thumb at Owen and Izzy.

Noah didn't ask for an emotionally draining party. He's had enough of that in school, and from his relatives' weekly visits. All he wanted as a reward was peace and quiet. However, something about Cody being there made him feel more relaxed.

As the party stretched on throughout the evening, several games were played, more food was served, and Noah continuously got humiliated by his doting and merciless family members. 

"So this is Cody? He's cute," said one of Noah's sisters.

"Thanks! The ladies can't resist the Codemeister," Cody bragged. 

Noah nearly snorted out his drink.

"I'll need a minute for rebuttal," he retorted.

Cody punched his shoulder playfully. "How about now?"

The bookworm gave him a look and shook his head, smiling. "Consider my qualms withdrawn."

A small boy tugged against Cody's pantleg, prompting the geek to lift him onto his lap.

"Hey there!" Cody cooed sweetly.

"Are you Cody?"

"Yes, I am! Did you read my mind or look into my soul?"

The boy doesn't respond and turns to Noah. "Is this the boyfriend you kept talking about?"

"W-what? B-but we're not-" Cody's eyes grew as he stuttered. He shot a glance at Noah, blushed, and looked away. 

Noah choked, his cheeks darkening. "We're just friends."

"I know. He's your boyfriend!"

"It's not the same thing!" Noah snapped.

"You can be my boyfriend anytime," said Noah's sister.

"I, uh..." Cody stammered, still stunned by what the boy on his lap said.

"OKAY you know what?" Noah took his cousin off Cody's lap and dragged Cody away by the arm. "I think I could use a break."

"Why are you taking Cody with you?" teased his sister.

"Why don't I give your boyfriend a call?" Noah retorted. 

Cody watched as the two of them laughed. For a moment he thought they were arguing. Is this what having siblings is like? He gasped the moment Noah pulled him away and followed him until they were alone in the backyard.

"Finally, peace and quiet," Noah sighed.

"Heh, yeah. I love parties as much as the next guy, but I also have my limits."

Time stretched on in silence for Noah and Cody. The noise was a blur behind closed doors and windows. The starry night was blurred out by transluscent clouds slowly drifting across the sky. Noah's backyard had a pool and a doghouse nearby, where a golden labrador perked its head up from his nap and waggled his tail with excitement. Chuckling, the bookworm walked over to him and rewarded him with smooches.

"Who's a good boy?" Noah cooed. The dog barked back.

"Can I pet it?" Cody asked nervously.

"'Him', Cody. Leo would like that. He's friendly."

Grinning, Cody knelt and dug his hands into Leo's soft fur. Leo nudged his muzzle against Cody's face and licked his cheek. The geek laughed pleasantly.

"You're so cute!" Cody giggled.

"I'm floored. He's never this friendly with my siblings," Noah commented.

Cody gave him a look, then shook his head. "You're just saying that."

"No, I mean it. He's usually the calm, well-behaved and perfectly-trained friendly type. To guests he's still friendly but shy," Noah explained. "You must have my scent after hugging me all the time."

Cody blushed at Noah's last statement. It brought up everything he needed to do tonight. He stopped petting Leo, took a few steps away and sat on the grass, facing the pool. He beckoned for Noah to sit with him. Once they were comfortable, Cody began to speak, with his eyes facing the twinkling lights radiating from the pool.

"Look, I'm sorry for what I did," he started. "And I won't blame you if you start hating me."

Noah furrowed his eyebrows. "You mean with what happened yesterday?"

Cody squirmed and buried his face in his knees. He seems to be catching on...

"Cody, I--"

"I'm sorry!" Cody interjected. "I know I'm clingy and I know I may have forced this friendship onto you, and I know you've been through heartache with Emma, but to see you pretending to hang out with me like nothing happened made me feel bad, so--"

"Cody!" Noah exclaimed, forcing the geek to purse his lips. "Chill, dude, I don't hate you!"

"You might." He recalled Noah's confession about wanting to hate him. While that's no longer the case, the thought of it happening now made Cody's heart throb painfully.

Noah glared. He knew exactly what Cody meant, but he wasn't keen on letting the past repeat itself.

"Alright, Codemeister, I'd like to see you try."

Glaring, Cody turned his head to face Noah. "Come on, Noah, I kissed your cheek last night! How can you not hate me for that?"

"You're a good friend, Cody. And I kissed you after you beat me at pool, remember? I think you were just trying to return the favor. Besides, I'm not going to let some kiss take you away from me so easily."

"But that wasn't just 'some' kiss, Noah! At least not to me!" 

Cody froze at the words that escaped his lips. He felt his cheeks grow hot once he realized how shocked Noah became. It was so quiet he could hear his own heartbeat. Or was it Noah's? Or both?

"What do you mean it's not just 'some kiss'?"

Cody's lip quivered and his heart clenched painfully. He lowered his head, his eyes fixed on Noah behind his fringe.

It's over.

"I like you... a lot."

It really is over.

"I'm sorry, Noah. I'm so, so sorry!" he whimpered in his knees. "I wanted to be your friend from the start. Even when I tried flirting with Gwen, part of me would rather spend time with you.

"You saved me, a lot. You kept me away from Sierra every time she tried to invade my space. I saw how you treated everyone and I was afraid you would treat me the same. Even if it was out of pity, I still felt special. But when Emma came along, I thought..."

"That I was gonna abandon you?" Noah surmised.

Cody gulped in response.

"I'll be honest, ever since we ended up in different classes this year, I thought our friendship was over. I thought this year was a sign for us to drift apart and find new beginnings, ya know?" Noah confessed. 

"It's true, I liked Emma and she was all I could think about for four-to-five months, but I had to let her go. Even if she was single, she made it clear that it would never work between us. In the end, I've always somehow drawn myself back to you: seeing you everyday yet unable to speak to you. I hated it."

"You did?"

"Yeah. Sure I made friends, but they mostly liked me because I'm an academic student. They only came to me when they needed help with their homework, or a cheat sheet for a test," Noah answered in annoyance. "You never truly liked me because I was smart, did you?"

"Your intelligence is only the tip of the iceberg," Cody chortled sadly. He thought he made that clear.

Noah blushed slightly and smiled. "That's what makes you special to me: no matter what kind of person I am, your feelings never changed. For years I thought I'd scare you off one day, yet here you are thinking you scared me off by saying these things." 

"I know, I'm pathetic," Cody mumbled.

Noah gently rested his hand on Cody's shoulder. "Trust me, you're not. And... I knew you wanted to talk about this earlier, after I won the contest, but I dismissed it because it wasn't the right time or place for me to say that I..."

He paused, prompting Cody tilted his head up, eyes widening at Noah's confession.

"I like you too."

A moment of silence washed over them. Once it passed, Cody exclaimed the bookworm's name as he shoved him down the grass with a hug.

"You mean it?"

"Sure, ask Leo. Turns out he tried to tell you how I felt about you."

Cody giggled. "Is that why he was so affectionate?"

Leo barked back from his kennel. Noah looked away and bit his lip shyly in response. 

"He really does love you."

"I'm a little jealous now since he's starting to love you too. It took months for me to earn his affection," Noah muttered.

"I'm okay with that. We both like you more anyway."

"I still don't understand why." Noah's hand reached for Cody's cheek above his. "But I don't want to push my luck."

In one swift motion, Noah switched their positions and sealed their lips together. Cody gasped for a second and closed his eyes... and lips apparently. Still, he managed to kiss back without opening his mouth too much. Confused, Noah hesitantly pulled away.

"Why did you stop?" Cody asked.

"Have you ever kissed anyone?"

Cody realized what Noah was implying and scratched his head. 

"Sorry... I got so used to Sierra kissing me that I forced my lips shut every time she..."

Noah shuddered with dread. "Eugh! Don't remind me."

"You asked!" 

"Sorry!"

"What about you? Have you ever kissed anyone?"

Noah growled. "Justin dared me and Emma to kiss, and that was after she told me she has a boyfriend. I still owe him hell after that."

"How did that kiss feel?" Cody asked, his heart racing.

Noah smiled. "Not as real as our first kiss."

Cody smiled shyly. As they leaned in for another, they both heard Noah's mother shout his name.

"Your friends are about to leave soon! Where are you?"

The backyard door swung open and Noah regretfully backed away from Cody, who sat up.

"There he is! He's with Cody and Leo. Come on, bro, get your weirdo friends out before they eat everything!" nagged one of Noah's brothers.

"Alright," Noah answered curtly as he lifted himself up with Cody.

"So... I'll see you after school next week?" Cody asked.

"It's a date." Smiling, Noah pecked his cheek before heading back inside. Meanwhile, Leo trotted towards the geek and licked his hand. Cody knelt back down and hugged the excitable labrador. 

'"Thanks for taking care of Noah, Leo. You really are man's best friend."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They won't be boyfriends yet. They're only more than friends for now. Maybe in their sophomore year they'll step up their relationship? Studies first, relationships later!
> 
> Here's something I forgot to mention in this chapter:  
> Where was Emma and why wasn't she invited?  
> Emma was on a date with her boyfriend and couldn't make it to the competition. Attendance was optional. Seeing that Emma didn't bother to show up, he decided not to invite her to the party as it could only make things more complicated between them.


	12. Noah's "Sweet" Sixteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You're way out of my league! How can I not be shy when the coolest guy I know wants to kiss me breathless?"
> 
> After a boring start to their Sophomore year, and a year after they confessed, Noah and Cody finally go on their first date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cody and Noah didn't spend Christmas together since Cody went abroad with his parents while Noah went on a ski trip with his family. Just putting it out there.
> 
> I always pictured Noah's birthday to be on September.  
> They confessed about a year ago.
> 
> Man they waited so long!
> 
> Over The Topping (c) High School Story

Sophomore year wasn't too eventful in terms of their relationship. They were still assigned to different classes. The school workload doubled, and they hardly made time to see each other. Noah became much busier with his family's needs, hence he and Cody no longer saw each other after school as often as they used to. Cody didn't mind. That's what he said at least.

They exchanged comforting texts every now and then. They stole kisses from each other during those brief bathroom break coincidences, or whenever they were alone. They couldn't make time to plan their first date, where it's just the two of them, so every second counts. 

But ever since the night they confessed, Noah couldn't help but wonder how he can encourage Cody to part his lips when they kiss. The geek never opened his mouth, and it frustrated Noah so much. Of course he wanted to make sure Cody was ready for that. Sierra was still obsessing over Cody for months since their breakup. 

No one in school knew about them yet, except Owen and Izzy.   
Thankfully, Noah's family approved of Cody. As for the geek, his parents couldn't care less as long as he placed his responsibilities first.

It was on their first summer together as more than friends. In fact, it was also Noah's birthday one summer day, and Cody knew exactly where to take him. 

Once he got ready, Cody eagerly responded to his doorbell and met his date outside.

"Noah, hey! How did your written test go?" he asked while throwing his arms around the taller brunette's waist.

"To absolutely nobody's surprise, I passed. I'll start my driving lessons next week," Noah deadpanned. 

Cody beamed with excitement and kissed his cheek.  
"Hey, that's a huge achievement in my book! Plus, my surprise would be appropriate for any outcome."

"I'm kind of nervous. When we were kids, you invited me to a bounce house and I got trampled on by a couple of Owen-look-alikes."

"I remember you were smiling on that day," Cody teased.

Noah shook his head, grinning, and shoved Cody. "Only because you were there."

The geek blushed and pulled Noah closer as he led him down the busy street.  
"Flattery won't keep us from your surprise. Come on!"

* * *

"Ta-da!" 

Noah remained silent for a moment.

"An ice cream parlor?"

"Yup. Happy Birthday!"

Noah stared at the building in front of them. A largely sculpted bowl of neapolitan ice cream rested above the building as the roof. They walked inside and the scent of fresh waffle cones washed over them.

"Isn't this the place where people often take pictures of their excessively-topped-frozen-dairy-treat and post it on Instagram before eating it?" Noah stated.

"It's called Over The Topping for a reason," Cody chortled.

"I've seen outrageously filtered posts about this place and I've been discouraged ever since."

"Dude, it's not about the foodies. It's about the scent of vanilla cones, the dozens of choices and the vast variety of toppings! Plus, it's ice cream. Don't tell me you don't like ice cream."

Noah chuckled softly. "Of course I do. I'm just saying that this place is a bit excessive that's all."

"Hey only I can spoil you on your birthday. Don't spoil it yourself," Cody retorted.

"I'm not saying this place is bad. I'd come here ironically if I wanted to. But because it's my birthday, I'd like to see you change my mind."

"Challenge accepted! Let's see..."

While Cody was busy deciding which flavor to get, Noah busied himself with staring at the pondering geek. Until now, he never realized how cute he looks doing, well, anything. Maybe he just misses him due to not being in the same class for more than a year, but he can't deny the thought.

"Why don't you decide what you like first?" Noah asked. 

"Well, I am starving for dessert," Cody murmured while tapping his lip.

"After you."

"Hmm... some of these flavor names sound embarrassing when you say them out loud," Cody commented sheepishly. 

Noah rolled his eyes in amusement. "That's another reason for my discouragement."

Cody beckoned a staff member and pointed at a tub of vanilla ice cream with what appeared to be small heart-shaped red-velvet cookies on it. 

"I'll try a cone of 'Sweetheart's Kiss' please."

Cody was sure Noah was going to laugh at him, but when he faced him, he noticed the latter's face was flushed and he grinned.  
"What?"

"Nothing," Noah snorted.

"No, please go ahead and laugh," Cody teased as he took his ice cream cone, all while smiling wider.

"I'll do no such thing!" Noah chuckled. "It's just... that flavor is so you, that's all."

It was Cody's turn to blush.

"Is that why you like me: because I'm sweet?"

Noah laughed and ruffled the lighter brunette's hair. "That's only a fraction of the reasons why I like you."

"Then what else do you like about me?" Cody asked as he started licking his dessert. Noah gulped. Dammit!

He still kept his cool though.

"Sorry, I've got to maintain some level of mystery."

Cody pouted. "You're no fun." 

Unfazed, Noah huffed, "Hey, at least you know how I feel when I try to kiss you."

"Wha-" Cody gasped, his cheeks reddening. "I have my reasons, you know!"

"Yes, but you do know Sierra hasn't tried to get her lips on you for months now!"

"It's not that! I mean, it sort of is but I'm long over her."

"Then what's holding you back?"

"Maybe I'll tell you if you eat some ice cream with me."

"I'm not--" Noah paused dreadfully after feeling a growling sensation in his stomach. Cody laughed as he surrendered to his offer. 

"Fine. I was gonna have some anyway."

"Yay!" Cody squealed. "What's your poison?"

"Poison?"

"Sorry, I hear my dad say that a lot during dinner parties. Do you have a weakness for anything when it comes to dessert?"

Noah scanned each flavor through the glass and rested a hand on his chin. He shrugged. "I guess I have a weakness for anything that has coconut in it."

"Easy! There's this," Cody pointed at a chocolate ice cream flurried with shredded coconut. "Or that," he added with his finger aimed at the label of a creamy white coconut sorbet. Noah scrutinized his choices and shuddered uncomfortably.

"Do I have to say these out loud?" 

"Yep."

"How can anyone like these names, let alone this place?"

"I don't know, I'll ask." Cody shouted across the room, "If anyone here loves Over The Topping, I wanna hear you make some _**noooooise**_!"

The patrons within the shop cheered in response while exchanging compliments about their favorite flavor combinations and Instagram likes amongst each other. Meanwhile Noah sighed gloomily at their enthusiasm and Cody snickered proudly with his hands akimbo.

"Feeling lonely on your high horse, birthday boy?" he teased.

Arms crossed in denial, Noah rolled his eyes with a subtle smirk on his face. "Maybe."

Cody laughed as he wrapped an arm around the dark brunette's shoulder. "Don't worry, the sweetness of your ice cream will cure the bitterness of being wrong."

"Fine. I guess The Bounty Hunter doesn't sound so cringey so I'll have that," Noah ordered, his gaze fixated on the chocolate ice cream coated with coconut shavings.

Once the dessert was paid for, thanks to Cody, Noah took the cone in his hand and immediately scooped some ice cream in his mouth. He raised his eyebrows and slowly nodded in approval.

"This is pretty good." Noah offered his cone. "Wanna try some?"

Cody felt his mouth water, despite already having his share, but quickly caught himself. 

"Only if you admit you like this place."

Noah whistled awkardly. "I guess I'm starting to, but I like the person who brought me here on my sixteenth birthday even more."

Cody looked away and smiled, unsure of what to say and do. He noticed that one side of Noah's lips were slightly stained with chocolate and quickly went for it. He pressed his lips against him and Noah flinched as he felt Cody's tongue brush dangerously close to his mouth. He wanted to guide Cody's lips to his own so badly at that point, not caring about the fact that they were in public.

And then Cody pulled away.

"You're right, it does taste good!" Cody hummed. 

"Okay, now you're being unfair," Noah groaned. Not only on his birthday, but on their first date too. 

"Sorry, I forgot to text my mom!" Cody suddenly blurted out. He finished what was left of his ice cream and made haste for the doors. "I'll be outside if you need me."

"I..." Noah began to protest but quickly gave in. _It's fine, this is only our first date. We barely made time for each other this year, after all. Maybe it's normal to be this nervous,_ he thought to himself. 

It's never too late to talk it out.

* * *

After calling it a day, Cody offered to walk Noah home. The trek was somewhat awkward at first. It became even more awkward when Noah felt Cody's hand suddenly wrap around his.

Slowly, out of instinct, Noah returned the favor by interlacing their fingers. He processed his words carefully in his mind, thus the silence. He glanced at Cody, who smiled softly at their surroundings and the heat they shared through their connected hands.

"Listen," Noah started. "I know I was being a jerk today, but I really did enjoy your present, Cody."

The lighter brunette turned his head and listened quietly, catching Noah's quick glances as he led them down the empty street.

"It... means a lot to me that you remember my birthday every year."

"I fill my calendar with all of my friends' birthdays. It's no big deal, really," Cody muttered.

"Not to me. Your thoughtfulness is something to behold." Noah pulled Cody's head close and kissed his hair. The latter grew hot at the sudden gesture and stopped in his tracks. Noah did the same before realizing they were just outside his house.

"I'm glad I gave you a birthday to remember," Cody began while rubbing his arm. "I guess I owe you an explanation, don't I?"

"Yeah, about that," Noah mused. "I _was_ going to ask you again, but a voice in my head told me to respect your boundaries. Consider it a challenge on my part."

"Wha-? Oh! No, no, no, it's not because of you. I-it's me! You see, I..."

There was a brief moment of awkward silence between them. Noah's eyes shifted left and right before returning to Cody, whose eyes remain glued to the concrete below them. The dark brunette tilted his head slightly and furrowed his eyebrows as he anticipated his answer.

"I'm just..." Cody inhaled sharply, his heart throbbing as he confessed.

"...shy."

Noah wrinkled his nose and gave him a look. Cody couldn't tell if he was confused, dumbfounded, frustrated or skeptical. 

"You... the Codemeister? The ladiesman? The real go-getter: shy?" Noah scoffed playfully. "You weren't shy when you tried getting Gwen to kiss you. What changed?"

"What changed?" Cody reiterated. "Where do I start? I met someone awesome: he's intelligent, he's handsome, he's got a great sense of humor, it's his birthday today, and he's standing right in front of me. Emphasis on 'he'."

"Oh right," Noah teased as he leaned forward. "It's because I'm a guy, isn't it?"

"Bingo." Cody sighed, his hand gunning at Noah's correct response before burying it in his pocket in unison with the other.

"If it helps, I know how you feel."

"I assumed so. I never thought I'd date a guy, let alone my best friend. I always thought I liked girls, but every moment I'm with you, you treated me like I was special, while everyone else figuratively tried to stab me in the back and front. 

"And to top it all off: you're way out of my league! How can I not be shy when the coolest guy I know wants to kiss me breathless?" 

Noah wordlessly stood there, slowly taking every word he heard and burning them into his memory. So, this was Cody's problem wasn't it? In a way he found it funny to hear Cody overestimating him, but not a stifle of laughter escaped his lips. He felt something far more overwhelming than amusement, and he wanted Cody to feel it too.

He wanted him to see how much of a hopeless romantic he truly is.

"I-I'm glad you think highly of me, Cody... but I'm not as great as you think I am. I mean, my family knows sides of me which might piss you off," Noah protested. _You dolt! A guy tries treats you with kindness and you deflect it with your insecurities? Well done, Noah. Cody is so lucky to be with you!_

Instead, he saw Cody's lips curl into a soft smile, a smile unfazed by doubt and full of hope.

"My grandmother told me adversity is the truest test to any relationship, so I'm willing to face that challenge with you!"

_This guy..._

"As much as you shouldn't underestimate me..."

_...though young and inexperienced with love..._

_"_ I'm... flattered you'll choose to like me no matter what side you see."

_...only makes me like him more._

Giddy with excitement, Cody threw his arms around the taller brunette and pressed his lips against his in a sweet, innocent kiss. With Cody still keeping his mouth shut, Noah groaned impatiently and pulled away.

"Dammit..." Noah growled before pressing another inviting kiss. Cody whimpered, nearly parting his lips but quickly shut them once more. The bookworm stopped. 

"Don't leave me hanging like this, Cody," Noah pleaded in an almost desperate tone that made Cody shiver on a warm summer evening.

"I-I'll try..." Cody whispered. "But don't hate me if you don't like it."

Before Noah could argue, Cody seized the moment by recapturing his lips. The dark brunette groaned back in shock before slowly closing his eyes to go with the flow. He expected Cody to be a good kisser, but this moment was far beyond what he'd hoped for.

The kiss felt foreign to them now. With Cody finally letting him in, Noah cherished every second trying to get a taste of him. The geek tasted sweet, with a hint of barbecue. He knew Cody's favorite snack so it's not surprising to him. It wasn't about Cody's flavor profile. It wasn't exactly about the kiss either. Noah couldn't be happier knowing Cody was finally being vulnerable with him. It was a great, yet belated, start to their developing relationship.

"Wow, did you seriously think I would hate this?" He rewarded Cody with a kiss. Then gave him another, and another. "Why did you hold out on me this long? You tease."

Frustrated, Cody squirmed and pulled Noah's head down into another kiss. 

"Noah..."

But he was right, Cody was enjoying this, a lot: so much it made his heart ache. His eyes grew teary with happiness, and his hand went from gently caressing Noah's cheek to tightly gripping his collar. He tasted something minty, and a hint of chocolate and coconut lingered. It was a surprising taste for someone so bitter and salty on the outside. Either way, Cody mentally chewed himself out for holding back this long. Not that the guy kissing him didn't help. In fact, the gentle sweep of Noah's tongue against his only left Cody moaning for more.

"Ah--!" 

Suddenly, he realized they lost track of time, and pulled away. Cody could've sworn his face permanently turned red by now.

"Sorry! I-I got carried away," he stammered.

"Me too. Do you regret it?" Noah asked.

"Um... no..." Cody answered slowly, his already red face getting hotter. "Did you like it?"

Noah too looked away shyly.

"More than I'd like to admit. This might be my best birthday yet."

"Heh.... thanks. Well, you should probably get inside. Your siblings might've fed your homework to Leo or something..."

"Pfft, as if Leo would listen," Noah scoffed. "Besides, most of them moved out so now it's just me, my youngest sister, and my parents. My sister has one more year of high school to go."

"Oh, good! I was afraid they were still at home and they saw... this outside their window."

"Don't worry, they're a lot more mature than that. And they know better than to mess with me. I'm kind of a runt in the family."

"I'll take a runt over your mature siblings anyday. G'night, Noah. I'm glad you had a good birthday!" After one last hug and kiss, Cody walked past Noah and looked back to wave at him. The bookworm stood alone in the dark, watching Cody leave until he no longer saw him.

_All of my birthdays were good, but you made this one perfect, Cody._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When it comes to writing romantic scenes, I'm not that bad, but I'm not that good either.
> 
> Anyway, if Cody treats Noah like this on his birthday, how will Noah return the favor on Cody's birthday?
> 
> Unfortunately, Noah didn't get to treat Cody on his birthday back in April because Cody went on a camping excursion that day, got sick after multiple insect bites and April Fool's Day pranks, and stayed at home for a week. Noah visited him after school at least every other day to check on him.  
> You could say he had a sour sixteenth birthday... but at least Noah was there to cheer him up, along with a few more friends in his class.
> 
> If you want me to write a chapter about that incident, my comment section is always open. Keep in mind that guest comments will have to go through me first before I make them public.


	13. A Middle School Memory: Problem Solving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are moments where Noah wasn't very nice to Cody. 
> 
> This is one of them. Noah often pushed Cody away, but will an unlikely classmate help Noah take it all back?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Featured Characters: Heather, Harold  
> Mentioned Characters: Beth
> 
> Heather might be somewhat uncharacteristic... but this is an AU so she's not as mean-spirited as she originally is in the series. As long as no one gets in her way, she wouldn't waste her time trying to dig up dirt about them.
> 
> Cody's also one of those friends whom Heather has nothing against. She thinks he's a wimp and a hopeless romantic, but she respects him for being clever enough to see through her mischief yet kind enough to help her at the same time.... as long as it doesn't involve hurting people which annoys Heather.
> 
> She does think Cody's an idiot for liking Gwen though, especially since the two girls hate each other. That's not going to change for a while... not in this AU either.

_**Years ago** _ _**in middle school...** _

"What is math? Why does this exist? Why did it have to exist? I hate this!"   
Noah did nothing but complain about his assignment for the past three hours. His grades in math were dropping, and his parents were crossed with him. Any dent on his permanent record would result in him being grounded. No social life, no video games, and no smiling. 

It's all about being serious and seeking redemption. Noah didn't complain about that golden rule; he took pride in it. It exists for a reason. Who was he to question it?

But this wasn't about his family's perfectionism. It was this stupid math problem homework.

Cody and Harold tried every method they knew to help Noah understand, but every attempt they made forced them back to square one. 

"Gosh you're hopeless!" Harold exclaimed. "We explained this question ten times already and you're still scratching your head! Are you even taking this seriously?"

"Of course I am, so stop accusing me already!" Noah shouted back.

"Do you want to skip to the next one? We'll come back to it later," Cody offered.

"No! I want to finish this assignment, one problem at a time."

Harold pinched the bridge of his nose. "Noah, there's a bigger problem than this written assignment, and it's you struggling with it."

"Harold!" Cody hissed. 

"Well by all means I can always give up, fail my test and never speak to any of you again. How fun would that be?" Grabbing his things, Noah whipped his bag on his shoulder and stormed off. 

"Can you believe that guy?"

"Harold, all Noah wanted was our help," Cody sternly reiterated. "If you're so quick to give up on him then fine. I'll help him myself."

"Seriously? Nobody is worth putting up with his antisocial, smartass attitude. He'll just use his fake charm to let someone else do his homework. You deserve better than that, Cody!" Harold argued.

Stopping midway, Cody turned his head slightly, his back now facing the bespectacled nerd.

"If that's what you think... then you don't know him."

Cody walked past the hallway in search of his friend and nearly walked into Heather: the only bully in school who was neutral towards him. Though snobbish and two-faced, Heather gave Cody her respect after he saw through her plan of using him to do one of her projects yet still offered to help her anyway. As impossible as it sounds, Cody knew exactly how to get through to her and promised to keep it between them, thus their neutral friendship was born. 

"You're lucky I don't hate you," he recalled her say to him. It's true. If anyone tried to size him up, Heather was one of his few friends to stand up to him. The problem was she tried as little as possible to be around him since she still values her reputation above friendships, which is still a foreign and meaningless concept to her.

"Hey, Heather! Have you seen Noah?" Cody greeted.

"Stormed past me. Why?" she answered curtly.

"Do you know where he was heading?"

"No, and I don't care. I make a point to stay away from contagious dweebs like him," Heather scoffed.

"Right," Cody groaned, rolling his eyes. "And I'm no different."

Heather interjected with a hand to Cody's face. "Don't start. Like I said, your boyfriend went to our classroom and I don't wanna be seen anywhere with you so goodbye!"

"W-Wait we're not in a relationship!" Cody quickly denied. "And you'd better not start any rumors about that!"

"Please, we both know you're not as fragile and naive as most losers think you are."

Cody smiled. "That's the nicest thing you ever said to me!"

"Shut it!" Heather seethed. "I'm not nice! I don't do nice. Weaklings are nice, and nice guys finish last! No offense."  
  
"To each their own, I guess. See you tomorrow, Heather," Cody muttered dismissively. He didn't want to argue. All he wanted was to find Noah.

"There you are!" Cody exclaimed with relief. There was his friend, sitting alone in an empty classroom, focused on a thick math book full of questions, equations and frustrations. 

Oh, wait, that last bit was Noah.

"Cody, just this once will you please leave me alone? You're becoming a nuisance at this point," Noah snarled.

Irritated, Cody crossed his arms and glared. "I can't let you fail, Noah. And it's obvious you can't do this alone."

"Don't you have anything better to do than spend time with me?" Noah suddenly snapped. Cody flinched and took a step back. Realizing how far he went, Noah looked away and buried his head in his hands.

"Sorry... I didn't..." 

"It's okay," Cody interjected softly. "I remember being as frustrated as you when I was failing history."

Frustrated with Cody's unyielding optimism, Noah tilted his head and wrinkled his nose. "Why do you keep doing that?"

"Do what?"

"Why are you always so positive about everything?" When Cody opened his mouth, Noah continued to rant. "Sorry, let me rephrase that: why are you always being so optimistic to me? Even when I'm backed up in a corner with all this drama in my life, you still step in and try to cheer me up! It's so... so... look, I just don't get it, okay!?"

Cody remained silent for a moment, allowing Noah some time to breathe after his rant. He stepped towards the latter and sat on a left-armrest so they're properly facing each other.

"You look like you need it."

Noah rolled his eyes. "Yeah, you used that same tactic since kindergarten."

"What tactic? You deserve kindness, Noah. Everyone does," Cody explained.

"Then why not give that kindness to someone more deserving than me?" If you don't want me to hurt you in the long run, then stop wasting it on me, Noah thought bitterly. He already made Cody cry before.

There's no way in hell he's letting that happen again.

It was never against Cody, but himself. The poor boy's kindness has already been abused. Not everyone cared enough to see that; but being somewhat of a wallflower, Noah knew. 

He knew.

He wanted to care.

But how could he?

How can he work up the nerve to be nice when all he knew was to push everyone away?

He couldn't do it. He's not ready for that. 

"But..." Cody whimpered slightly but quickly caught himself before giving Noah a stern look. "I'm sorry for not having all the answers, Noah. But the least you can do is be grateful!" 

To Noah's surprise, Cody violently hoisted his bag over his shoulder and stomped out of the classroom. Part of him wanted to chase after Cody to apologize, but his overwhelming pride forced him to sit still and regain his focus. 

Forget him. Think for yourself. 

Cody stopped midway as he exited the classroom. He quickly glanced back and his heart sunk further. There, Noah resumed his assignment and showed no remorse or interest in chasing after him.

"Maybe he's right, I have been wasting my kindness with him. Everyone's the same and they always will be." Annoyed, Cody pounded his forehead with the base of his palm and continued to scold himself. "You're so stupid, Cody! Why do I even bother trying?"

"You seem awfully pleased with yourself," Heather stepped in. 

"Gee, thanks," Cody deadpanned. "What happened to leaving and not wanting to be seen talking to me?"

"That doesn't count since no one else is here. What's your deal with Noah anyway? He's a loner like that loser goth girl Gwen."

"Heather, please just stop talking! Noah and Gwen are not losers. Nobody is!"

Heather scoffed. "Keep telling yourself that."

"You wanna know what a real loser looks like?" Cody asked angrily before gesturing his hands at himself. "Well, you're talking to one! You might be a bully, Heather, but at least people still respect you without having to fear you. Me? Hah, who cares, right? Everything I do to try fitting in to this place isn't good enough for everyone! 

"Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going home. I've had enough witty remarks for one crappy day. Goodbye!"

Heather watched Cody storm off in a huff. She quizically glanced at Noah, who groaned loudly at himself from within the classroom, and took a step forward before quickly reversing it.

"No. No way!" she grumbled. "There is no way I'm helping a nerd with his homework!"

Then again, he is one of the smartest kids in school. To get on his good side would help boost her grades, and ultimately her popularity. 

Nope! No fame is worth the price of helping a nobody, especially nerds.

Before she came back to the thought of leaving, she recalled what Cody had said about himself and gritted her teeth.

"Ugh! I'm going to regret this."

Forcing a smile, Heather walked in.

"Knock knock?" 

Tilting his head up, Noah sighed distastefully and shook his head.

"Get lost, Heather."

"Yeah, not gonna happen. My lame uncle is the security guard of this school. If I leave now, he'll lock the gates and you'll be locked in here all by yourself."

"Since when do you care about anybody?" Noah scoffed. 

"I don't. But just this once I'm doing you a favor. I owe Cody that much for being so... ugh... sweet to everyone. Even me."

Irritated, Noah slammed his pen against the pages of his textbook and gruffly said, "Since when do you care about Cody? Heck what made you bring up his name all of a sudden?"

"Hmph, look at you asking all these ridiculous questions. If you knew Cody well enough, you wouldn't need to ask."

It was a foreign feeling for Noah to feel intimidated. He always looked bold and composed whenever someone tried to threaten him, until now that is. Heather has that effect on everybody, and she stomped on his pride like it was nothing. 

"Of all the people to eavesdrop it just had to be the Queen of Mean. Do your worst, Heather. Show me a recording of our conversation and put it on the internet for all I care! I deserve it."

With her hands on her hips, Heather shook her head and clicked her tongue repeatedly.

"Okay, your perception of me is so flawed I might barf," Heather sighed, "You know better than most that anyone who gets in my way will go through a living hell and I don't have to get my hands dirty to do it. You're one of those few simpletons wise enough to back off so who am I to treat you like crap? I've got better things to do."

"Like talking to inferior nerds such as myself?" Noah interjected. "And for the record, I don't stay out of your hair because I'm afraid of you. I'm just allergic to drama, got that?"

"Sure you are," Heather scoffed. "After that little performance you pulled on Cody, why wouldn't you be allergic?"

Noah flinched in his seat and looked away. She was right. She was so painfully right. And it pissed him off.

"I should apologize, shouldn't I?"

"I'm not asking you to. I'm just here to help you with your homework."

"Why? What's in it for you?"

"My Literature assignment," Heather answered bluntly. "And because my dumb parents made me join the Math and Physics Club to boost my grades and earn extra credit. I had to put up with Harold and Beth snorting beside me! Ugh! Anyway, the point is I know this stuff, so no more questions and show me your work before I change my mind."

"Of course there's a catch," Noah gruffly commented.

"Hey, you massage my back, and I pat yours."

"Your analogy is mildly unsettling." _But true._

"Whatever. I can always change my mind and leave you here. Like I said, I really don't care."

Noah didn't respond for a moment to consider his options. Heather was no different to his siblings. And it wasn't like her to be so open-minded. Did Cody backstab him in front of he? No. That can't be. He's too nice to do something so cruel! He tensed his shoulders and took a deep breath and released his pride. Just this once.

"Fine, but I wanna know what Cody told you."

"Only if you swear to never tell a soul that I helped you. What we do today didn't happen, got it?"

"Fine," Noah curtly said. He was too tired and even more humiliated to come up with another incentive. 

"Good, so we got a deal. Luckily I did my homework already. I won't tell you the answers but I'll show you how I did mine."

"And while you give me hints, in return I have to write your entire literature homework from scratch?"

Heather placed a hand on her chest in awe... and mockery. 

"You know me too well. Now focus."

* * *

Throughout the week, Noah saw no sign of Cody approaching him. Every time the geek entered the classroom, he went straight to his seat on the other side of the room from his, gaze fixed on the wide blank chalkboard in front of them. The rest of the day went by slowly and for the first time in months, Noah was desperate to hear the school bell ring.

Class was over, and Cody recently finished packing up. When he saw Noah approach him, he quickly lifted his bag and headed for the door... only to be stopped by a grip on his wrist.

"Wait up!" Noah exclaimed. Cody clicked his tongue in response and yanked his wrist away. He stood in place but gave Noah the cold shoulder.

"Don't talk to me. I'll just get in your way," he muttered shakily.

"You're always in my way," Noah paused midway and slapped himself. _No more insults, Noah!_ "B-But I'm not complaining."

"Likely story. So, what huh? Do you want me back out of pity? Do you want to take advantage of me like everybody else? Or do you want me to stand here like an idiot while I watch you roll out a list of reasons why I'm so annoying? Is that it!?" 

Noah flinched. He never heard Cody yell at him before. Heck he never saw Cody get mad at him before. He stared worriedly at him before shamefully gazing at the floor. It was Cody's turn to flinch.

"I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to scream at you." Cody inhaled sharply and went on, "I didn't mean to be such a burden to you. You made it clear that you don't want me around and that's exactly what I'm gonna do. That night, I thought you're no different to everyone else and I realized maybe it would've been better if I left you alone in the first place. I owe you that much at least."

"Cody, don't give me any of that. Ever," Noah warned firmly.

"Sorry--"

"No, don't apologize. What I did was rude and selfish on my part therefore the fault is mine. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings... again."

Cody nervously rubbed his arm, his eyes darting between the classroom and the balcony outside. 

"It's okay, I guess."

"No, it's not. Even though I find it difficult to understand, I wasn't being grateful to your kindness and... I'm sorry.

"I don't want you to think of me the same way you think of everyone else. Maybe I was just... afraid of hurting you... again."

Cody's face softened. "Aw Noah--"

"Remember I said maybe," Noah quickly denied.

"Then," Cody giggled. "Maybe I should've tried harder to be your friend instead of giving up so easily."

Noah raised his hand and shook his head.

"No, you don't need to try harder. You have my friendship. It's just... I only wish I could be the friend you deserve."

Cody's lips curled into a whimpering smile. Without warning, he stood on his toes and threw his arms around Noah's neck.

"You've proven that now more than you ever did."

Noah heard him cry softly and gently returned the hug, allowing Cody to sniffle on his shoulder. It must've been difficult for Cody to ignore Noah these past few days. Incredulously, Noah realized he felt the same way.

"Thanks, but I think I still have a long way to go."

Cody pulled away from the hug to give Noah a look. "You made more progress than everyone else, believe me."

"Even Heather?" Noah teased.

"Yep-" Cody nodded before blinking rapidly in shock. "Wait, how did you know Heather was my friend?"

"She may have slithered in the classroom to help me with my assignment. It was either she'd help me or I get locked up for one night." Noah recalled. He included the idea of wanting to go home, but with his mom texting him about family friends visiting that night, he knew he couldn't redeem his grades from the comfort of his own home.

"Heather did all that for me? I'll have to send her a subtle thank you letter to her later."

"I doubt she'll like it," Noah chuckled.

"True... I take it she wanted something in return?"

Noah rolled his eyes for a moment, pretending to think, and smirked once their eyes met.

"Obviously. At least she helped me see things a bit more clearly. She told me what you said, and I'm... sorry I made you feel that way. I know I may not look the type but I do care about you." Noah realized what he said and covered his face with his palm. "Please don't make me say that again."

"I won't. "

Cody knew what he meant and smiled gratefully. Despite Heather putting Noah in a difficult position that day, the simple mention of Cody's name prompted Noah to take it all back. He knew he cared and it made him happy.

"Did she help you pass?"

"Yep, got an A so my mom can finally sleep better. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a Literature assignment to finish."

"I thought you finished that last week?" How can Cody forget Noah's smug face after witnessing him complete it in an hour?

"Not mine. Heather's. If she blames me for cheating I can easily admit that she threatened me."

"That's a relief. Can I come?" After seeing Noah glance at him, Cody quickly ate his words. "I-I mean I'll leave you to it."

"Nah, I'll get bored doing this alone. You can tag along."

Cody grinned from ear-to-ear.

"Yes!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will delete this one day cause this was poorly written--
> 
> Also when did Noah make Cody cry? That's a chapter for another day. It's not the next one after this though.


	14. The Sweet Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In other words: the name of the new cafe Cody works in. In an effort to learn how to be independent, Cody works part time at a cafe. However, like his relationship, he wants to keep his new job a secret. 
> 
> Let's just say it will be hard to imagine the humiliation Cody will endure once Noah sees him in his uniform. It's too... cute.
> 
> Noah hates cute... right?
> 
> Also, Cody receives an invitation from a certain red-headed maniac...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's short so don't expect too much. I only placed this here because the next chapter will be longer. Don't worry, the uniforms aren't revealing, just cutesy... as if the style was inspired by Japanese clothing or something.
> 
> Featured Character: Sammy (Samey), Izzy, Owen

Cody dusted the lint off his apron and tugged down the fabric of his shorts. With the staff being short on uniforms, he wasn't expecting a pair of working jeans anytime soon. As comfortable as it felt, Cody was too hesitant to step out of the kitchen door.

"Welcome to your first day of the job, Cody Anderson!" said Sammy, a blonde cheerleader from his class, and his first co-worker.

"Thanks, Sammy! But do I really need to wear this? It doesn't exactly fit my aesthetic."

"Sorry, we'll have your jeans delivered by next week, I promise! As for the design, well, it was the manager's idea. I happen to like my outfit! The style is cute, according to our customers, and hey, at least it's comfy! 

"On the upside, you look absolutely adorable," Sammy complimented sweetly. Cody returned the compliment with a shocked look on his face. Sammy tilted her head slightly.  
"What?"

"Sorry, I guess with your sister bullying me, I found it hard to believe that someone, who looks exactly like her, actually likes how I look."

"I'm nothing like my sister, and she bullies me all the time," Sammy muttered shamefully. "But working here makes me happy. And besides, I finally got an adorable new co-worker under my care!"

Cody couldn't help but blush. Finally: a girl who genuinely sweet to him!

"I-I'm glad to hear tha-- wait a minute: I'm not adorable!"

Sammy giggled skeptically.   
"Sure, and I don't have an evil twin who deliberately changed my name on my birth certificate. Chop chop, Cody!"

Cody sighed and, recalling his training hours, picked up a notepad from the pocket of his apron and strolled to the earliest beckoning customer. Thank goodness his outfit was comfortable and flexible. 

It's fine. Undignified, but fine. At least Noah doesn't eat in sweet cafes like this. It was one of the differences Cody can live with. As long as no one else in school knows, he'll be--

"One sweet stack to go-- Cody!"

...Izzy?

Crap!

"Hey, I didn't know you work here. You look adorable! Noah did tell me you'd look great in pastel colors. And-" Izzy gasped. "You look cute in shorts!"

"Izzy!" Cody hissed. 

"What? It's true! When Noah sees this he's gonna--"

"No, Izzy! Noah can't know."

"What? Why?"

"Why? Look at me: I look like Hansel in a house made of candy!" Cody whined, his cheeks tinted with embarrassment.

"I think you mean 'Gretel'," Izzy corrected.

"Hey!"

"But Cody..." before Izzy could tell Cody how Noah would truly feel, Sammy called the latter's name from the kitchen.

"Newbie, go grab the mop please!"

"Coming! Sorry, Izzy... gotta go. I'll be back with your order!"

After a moment of silence for the redhead, Izzy grabbed her phone and stuck her tongue out as she replied to her boyfriend's messages.

_**Izzy** _

_I found Cody! I'm about to commence Phase 1 of E-Scope's Slumber Party! 😈_

_**Owen** _

_WOO IZ!! IMFEELING PSYCHED ALREADY! 🤯_

\----  
After a long day of work, Cody wearily lifted his apron over his head and leaned against the wall.

"I'm beat!"

"Yeah, not the kind of experience you'd expect on your first shift," Sammy giggled.

"I really thought I dropped those cups of tea earlier! I'm glad the klutz in me didn't try to sabotage my first day. I mean, who wears shorts or skirts in a hazardous environment containing hot water, slippery floors or breakable glass?"

"Don't worry, we take health and safety very seriously over here. DJ and I made sure of it. I guess my cheerleading skills helps me move more gracefully in my uniform, plus the fabric is thick so it's prone to tears and hot stuff. You just gotta be more careful, that's all.

"One way or another, you'll learn to overcome them. It's only your first shift after all." As Sammy hoisted her bag over her shoulder, she puckered her lips for a moment and gave Cody an envelope. 

"By the way, that crazy red-headed chick from our school wanted you to have this. She was a little bummed that I was the one who delivered her order, so she asked me to forward this to you." 

"Oh. Thank you, Sammy! I'll see you on my next shift."

"I look forward to it!" 

On his way home, Cody curiously peeked at the letter, his eyes darting left, right then at the road until he stopped outside his doorstep.

_A sleepover? Tomorrow?_

_Sounds fun-_  
_Wait, no!_

_Don't jinx it, Cody._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Izzy could've texted Cody instead... but where's the fun in that?
> 
> How will the sleepover go? Don't ask me... I wasn't invited.


	15. A Sophomore Sleepover (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noah and Cody attend Izzy's sleepover with Owen and Eva.
> 
> Their night starts with a rousing game of Two Truths And A Lie. Who will win and who will die-- er I mean--- Never mind. Enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I enjoyed writing this one! 
> 
> Featured Characters: Izzy, Owen, Eva
> 
> I will warn you though: Cody's mom is a bit harsh on him in this chapter so proceed with caution. Just because you relate doesn't mean you should hate or dishonor your parents.
> 
> That won't make anything better.

Cody's mother offered to drive him over to Izzy's house that night. As grateful as Cody wished to be, he was only given the ride so he could be trapped in another one of her sermons about his future. He tried to reassure her, shouting as he spoke firmly, but was immediately silenced and dismissed for answering back and being ungrateful. It hurts to answer back, he thought with guilt.

Throughout the remainder of the ride, Cody remained silent and looked out the window, refusing to look at his mother as tears escaped his eyes. He was upset with his mother, but angrier at himself for letting her down.

"We're here. I'll be picking you up at ten tomorrow so I expect you to be ready to leave by then."

"Yes mom." Cody mumbled.

"Look me in the eye when I'm talking to you!" 

Cody reiterated his promise, louder this time, and looked her in the eye. Eyes widened with anger, his mom looked away and shook her head. 

"Love you mom. See you tomorrow."

"Love you too. Take care over there."

She loves him, and worries about him, especially his future. Cody knew that.

But what will it take to make her change the way she deals with those emotions that doesn't involve chewing out her own son? 

_They never see how hard I try my best for them,_ Cody thought somberly. _All they see are my mistakes._

Upon approaching Izzy's doorstep, Cody was about to knock when he suddenly heard the doorknob click to the side.

On the other end of the door was a brawny, raven haired girl with a mole on her face and a... unibrow?

"Eva, hi! I-I didn't know you were invited," Cody warily greeted.

"Neither did I," Eva huffed while rolling her eyes, "Izzy invited you? So she was right."

"Right about what?"

"You and Noah are boyfriends."

"N-No!" Cody denied. "I-I mean we're dating but we're not exactly official yet, u-um..."

"Whatev, secret's safe with me. Come in. Wouldn't want you freezing to death," Eva muttered as she stepped aside for Cody to enter.

"IS THAT CODY'S VOICE!?" Izzy shouted from the corridor. Before Eva could answer, Izzy had already dashed in to give the geek a bone crushing hug.

"Nice to see you too!" Cody wheezed.

"You look casual. I hope you brought your PJ's over cause this will be the BEST. SLUMBER. PARTY. EVER!" With surprising strength, Izzy hoisted Cody over her shoulder and ran into the hallway leading into the main room, where Owen was busy losing to Noah in a video game.

"NO! I WAS SO CLOSE," Owen sobbed into his controller.

"Ha, that's what you get when you challenge a professional!" Noah gloated before presenting his hand. "Pay up, Big Guy."

"Fine, but I want a rematch later!" Owen retorted playfully as he dug in his pocket for a ten dollar bill. 

"I look forward to it."

"Hey guys, our final guest has arrived!" Izzy shouted upon entering the room, then tossed Cody over her back and onto the floor; followed by Eva, who carried the geek's belongings with ease.

"Cody!" Owen greeted gleefully.

"Hey, guys! Whatcha playing?" Cody asked while steadying himself after uncomfortably clinging onto Izzy's back.

"Knowledge Is Power. Guess my brain's not as tamed as Noah's. Oh and if you're gonna challenge him, don't bet your lunch money. He's too good!" Owen explained.

"Oh. In that case," Cody turned to Noah and asked, "where's your prize?"

"Right here in front of me." Noah stepped closer and ruffled Cody's hair. "You look tense. Everything okay?"

"Yup! So, what's first on Izzy's itinerary?" 

Flowing with excitement, Izzy began to recite her plan while counting her fingers. "Oh! First we get the pizza out of the oven, then we'll bake some cookies, then we'll watch a movie..."

As Izzy babbled on about her goals for the evening, Noah remained focused on Cody, thinking about why he answered his question so curtly. It was unlike Cody to respond like that unless he's hiding something.

"Noah, I know you can't get enough of Cody, but we've got tons of activities to do together as a group, so pay attention!" Izzy interjected his thoughts. Noah looked away once Cody turned to face him, both of them looking flushed.

"Great! Now that the pizza's piping hot, who's up for a game of Two Truths And A Lie?" Izzy announced.

"Sounds risky already," Noah commented monotonously. 

"Psh, what's that?" Eva asked gruffly.

"You really don't like getting involved with other human beings do you?" Noah teased with a coy smirk on his lips.

"No."

"It's easy! We simply tell two truths about ourselves, and one lie, then the rest of us have to guess what the lie is," Izzy explained.

Owen clapped his hands vigorously. "I love this game already!"

"What do we win?" Cody asked.

"Bragging rights!" Izzy answered curtly and playfully before opening her eyes with a more serious response. "And the winner doesn't have to go through the labor of baking cookies with the rest of us."

"Now that's a reward I'm happy with. You're on," Eva answered as she pumped her fist.

"You and me both. After getting dragged into mom and dad's cooking lessons all week, I could use a break from the kitchen," Noah huffed.

"And I need to stay far away from the kitchen. I'll burn the house down if someone left me in charge of cooking," Eva confessed.

Noah chortled. "Remind me never to pair up with you in Home Economics."

Izzy raised both hands and grinned. "I'll pair up, I'll pair up!"

"Not so fast, Iz. Unless you don't want to see school on fire and the rest of us in third degree burns, you and Eva should stay as far away from each other as possible before you even think about pairing up for a cooking lesson."

"What about me, Noah? We can pair up right?" Owen pleaded innocently. Noah smirked past his innocence.

"Nice try, Big Guy. Last time we cooked together, you ate everything. And we haven't even started prepping!"

"Hey I remember that!" Cody laughed. "When we all finished cooking our dishes, we all shared our creations with you two. You were so happy, especially Owen. Good times!"

"It was weird seeing Noah smile like that," Eva added.

"If I remember correctly: that was your idea, Cody," Izzy teased. "It was so sweet of you to persuade all of us to share!"

Noah's eyes widened. "Wait, that was your idea?"

Cody blushed in silence.   
"U-um... I... Yes?"

"AW COME HERE YOU!" Owen cried as he buried Cody in a hug. The latter glanced at Noah, who smiled softly for a split second before hiding his face in his fringe as he looked away. 

Awestruck, Izzy joined in the hug for a few seconds, then pulled away.

"Let's play! I'll start." Izzy looked to the ceiling in thought, then gasped with an idea.

"Okay so: I got a restraining order after going on a date with a guy; I had a massive crush on Justin back in sixth grade and; my parents accidentally left me at a gas station on my thirteenth birthday."

"Whoa, that sounds tricky," Cody muttered. "Hmm... I'll have to say your crush on Justin is a lie."

"Seconded," Noah quickly added.

"I'll have to go with the first. I never got a restraining order," Owen answered.

"The third one really deceives me somehow, so I'll choose that," Eva finished.

"Ding, ding, ding! Eva got it," said Izzy.

"You've got to be kidding me," Noah groaned.

"Duh, we all had a crush on Justin at some point!"

"I knew that," Noah half-lied. "It's just that I hate him so much he clouds my judgement."

"He does have that effect on everyone... in an endearing way," Owen swooned.

Noah gagged.

"Heh, you must have strong barriers for Justin's charm and good looks to pass you by like that," Cody teased.

"Cody, I swear if you liked him too..."

Cody remained silent.  
"I mean, kind of? I wanted to be his friend but he kept using me so I stopped trying. He made fun of me when I got hit in the face by a dodgeball... after I tried to protect him!"

"Are you sure, Cody?" Owen asked. "I don't think Justin would ever do that."

Noah gritted his teeth venomously, "he would. Justin isn't even here and you're already letting him fool you!"

"So what's the story about your thirteenth birthday?" Eva asked, changing the subject.

"Oh! My parents left me at the zoo not a gas station! The zookeepers had to keep me at bay from releasing the lions while waiting."

"You should probably stop talking cause you're giving me ideas for your next birthday," Noah teased mercilessly. Izzy giggled nonchalantly.

"I'm curious about the restraining order. I didn't do anything wrong, did I?" Owen whimpered.

"Of course not," Izzy said as she kissed him tenderly. "I went on a date with a guy named Graham Cracker. He couldn't handle my insanity so he stood me up on our next date. So I kept stalking and talking to him until he decided to take me to court to get a restraining order against me. It was hard but we managed to remain friends after that! 

"And I promise I'll never put you in a tight spot like that, my Biggy Cheesepuff!"

"Aww!" Owen swooned and leaned down to kiss her.

"You guys are so cute together," Cody hummed pleasantly.

"You two can make out too. I really don't care," Eva muttered casually. 

"W-what?" Cody stammered.

"Hard pass, Eva."

"Now, when you say hard..."

Blushing fiercely, Noah grabbed the nearest pillow and swung hard at Eva's bare arm, causing her to laugh.

"I'll stop."

Noah chuckled. "Yeah you'd better."

"Eva's turn!" Izzy squealed.

Eva rolled her eyes. "Fine. My name is short for Evangeline; I hate sports; and I like everyone."

"Those all sound like lies," Owen pondered.

"That's because they are lies."

"That's not how the game works!" Cody argued.

Eva shrugged. "I'm trying to win here. And no offense, but I don't trust anyone. You'll have my respect once you try learning about me yourselves."

"Challenge accepted!" Izzy exclaimed

"But is your name really Evangeline?" Cody asked.

"No. Ask me again and I'll bite you," Eva warned.

Cody flinched. She already tried that. It was years ago.  
"Thanks for that," he murmured sarcastically. 

"My Big O goes next!" Izzy squealed.

"Woohoo! Let's see: Noah's my best friend in the whole wide world; I tried going on a vegan diet; and I was kissed by another guy!"

"The first one sounds like a stretch," Eva deadpanned. 

"No it doesn't!" Owen protested.

Noah raised an eyebrow and smirked playfully. "I dunno, Big Guy. I overheard you say Trent was your best friend last week."

"Yeah, in the room, not the whole wide world!"

"So are you trying to say you were kissed by another guy?" Cody teased.

"Well I kissed a couple of guys on the cheek before, but..."

Owen looked around as silence filled the room.

"What?"

"Right... also, a vegan diet? Name one vegetable you've had your whole life," Noah added.

"Why are you guys bombarding me with questions? Is this part of the game?" Owen anxiously cried out.

"You mean making you admit all the answers? Absolutely."

"Noah!" Cody giggled as he lightly swatted Noah's arm. "I'll go with the first one."

"I'll also go with the first," Noah added. "And the second."

"Third. No offense but unless Noah kissed you, I'm not convinced there are other guys who like you enough to do that," Eva deadpanned.

Owen sniffed. "You wound me, Eva."

Eva nonchalantly turned her attention to Noah and mouthed, "you never kissed him, have you?"

Noah shook his head.

"Then I rest my case."

"I'm totally with Eva," said Izzy. "We mutually agreed that we shared our first kiss. Since then I've never seen anyone kiss my Big O."

"Gee, I wonder why," Noah flatly teased.

"Sorry boys, but the ladies beat you to the punch," Owen declared.

"Yes! Do I know my boyfriend or what?" Izzy cheered to herself before making out with Owen... again.

"Don't mind me, who also got it right," Eva said with the same tone of boredom she used since the party began.

"Wait so what's the story behind the vegan diet?" Cody asked.

Owen's cheeks paled at the memory. "I was ten, and my mom made me eat nothing but fruits, vegetables and nuts. I didn't even last a day before raiding the fridge that night!"

"Yeah, right," Noah scoffed. "Now I know why you suddenly invited me to a buffet restaurant for lunch."

"No way! You actually accepted that?" Cody gasped.

"Only because he said he was gonna pay for it!" Noah answered with his hands raised defensively.   
"No wonder you were more ravenous than usual. It was hard for me to finish my food after watching him scarfing his own food down. I wanted to laugh but I guess part of me felt kind of bad, like, did your parents finally starve you to death or something? That's what I thought at the time anyway."

"YES, THEY DID STARVE ME TO DEATH! I nearly died!"

"Now you're being hyperbolic."

"AM NOT. Whatever that means..."

"And you really think Noah is your bff in the whole wide world? Cause that is just too sweet!" Izzy squealed.

"Uh-huh! You're not jealous, are you Cody?" Owen asked worriedly.

"Of course not!" Cody quickly responded. "Noah should be lucky to have a friend like you."

"Awww in the same way Noah is lucky to date someone like you!"

"Okay, okay can we skip the sentimental nonsense? Otherwise I'll gag," Noah interjected. 

"Come on, you know you love it," Owen teased.

Noah looked away, smiling. "Sorry, too busy gagging."

"I'll go next!" Cody volunteered. 

"Go for it, Codemeister!" Izzy cheered.

The geek clapped his hands with excitement and began to think.  
"Right, so: I never lost a game of chess; I never pulled the middle finger on anyone; and I got this gap between my teeth from getting punched in the face."

"Oh, that sounds tough," Owen mumbled. 

"I'll have to go with the second one. It's literally impossible to not pull the middle finger on someone," Eva complained. "Not even sweethearts like you stand a chance."

Cody flashed a cheeky grin.   
"I hope you're right, Eva."

"Oh, it has to be the third!" Izzy guessed. "Wimps often make up those stories to sound cool when really it's all a lie!"

Cody hissed. "That hurt, Izzy!"

"If it's a lie then I'm sorry. If it's true then it's supposed to hurt, silly! Only a fake friend would tell you what you wanna hear."

"That's... surprisingly wise coming from you Iz," Noah commented. 

"Thanks! I read it in a book once."

"What about you, Noah?" Owen asked. "I'm sure you know him better than the rest of us. Wink, wink!"

Noah poked his chubby friend playfully and turned serious. "Hm, well you told me about your chess story before, and I've never seen you pull the middle finger unless you needed it to reach for something. I know cause I've been a hardass to you.

"Don't change your answers guys, but I'll have to go with Izzy on this one. I know how you lost your teeth cause I was there, remember?" he finished, snickering deviously at the geek next to him.

Realization dawned upon Cody's features, then he covered his face in shame. "I shouldn't have said that lie! Izzy and Noah win that."

"Hell yeah! Points for me and No-No. High five!" Izzy laughed. Rolling his eyes, Noah returned the gesture with slack.

"Aw nuts!" Owen exclaimed.

"How!?" Eva snapped. "How can you not use your middle finger to curse someone? It's impossible!"

"And what's the true story with your teeth?" Owen asked. 

"Long story short, I ate too much junk food as a reward for my adult teeth coming around. Next thing I knew, Noah had to convince my parents to take me to the dentist and... you can guess what happened there."

"It's true, Cody did get punched in the face, but it affected his nose, not his teeth," Noah added. "I wasn't there to see it though. If I was, I probably would've told Eva to kick 'em on a high way to hell."

Eva didn't say anything, but smiled at the suggestion. 

"What about your chess story?" Izzy asked further.

"Oh, I never lost a match. It's one of the few accomplishments I take pride in," Cody answered proudly.

"He's not bluffing. I'll warn you that much," Noah muttered, his eyes widening for a second as he chuckled nervously at his own comment.

"WHAT ABOUT THE MIDDLE FINGER!?" Eva snapped.

"Eep!" Cody squeaked then scooted himself behind Noah. "I just don't want to do that to anyone, okay?"

"Urgh, fine! You're next, stickman." Eva grunted.

"Wow. Stickman? Is that the best you can do?" Noah retorted.

"It's better than my fist," Eva growled threateningly, her face inches from Noah's chin. 

Noah flinched slightly but remained fearless.  
"I guess we've reached an impasse. Alright, let me think... I can recite the first twenty digits of Pi; my aunt wanted me to be a supermodel because she thinks I resemble my grandfather; and I won the Spelling Bee last year to win Cody's affection."

"Oho this should be good!" Izzy raved determinedly. 

"You, a supermodel?" taunted Eva.

"Crazy, right? Mind you, I live with a big family of nutjobs," Noah reminded.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Owen shouted. "Pies have digits?"

"I don't know, do they?" Noah teases, unable to hide the smile on his face. Owen scratches his head in bewilderment. 

"I'm confused."

When Noah craned his head in Cody's direction, he noticed the surprise written all over his face.

"That last one can't be true... can it?" Cody sheepishly asked.

Noah leaned closer.  
"You tell me, cupcake."

"I-I... quit toying with me!" Cody whined as he hammered his fist against the bookworm.

"Ack!" Noah laughed while using both arms to defend himself.

"You two are, like, perfect for each other!" Izzy swooned. "Anyway I pick the second one. Noah doesn't need his family's line of work to remind him he'd make a great supermodel!"

"That is the most patronizing comment I've ever heard," Noah glowered.

"You know me too well. I was gonna say you lied about the second one because you were jealous of Justin so I made up a white lie," Izzy confessed almost remorselessly. Almost. 

"If you were a guy, I'd deck you in the face," Noah deadpanned half-jokingly-half-threateningly.

Izzy laughed. "Sure you would, buddy!"

"I kind of agree with Izzy, but I'll have to go with the first. I still don't get it so I'll go with it," Owen concluded.

"First," Eva added without explanation.

"Wow you guys are so quick to answer! Meanwhile, I'm still stuck between two choices," Cody solemnly stated.

"You can pick the second one. I understand if you think I'm not supermodel-worthy," Noah softly suggested. 

"Huh? Oh, no I believe that one. Your body is... you know..." Cody paused to see Noah's handsome smirk returning then shook his head. "A-anyway... I'll give you the benefit of the doubt a-and go with the first. T-The first one is a lie."

Noah huffed gratefully. "Then you, Owen and Eva are right."

"Wait, WHAT?" Owen yelped.

"How did you know, Eva?" Noah asked.

Eva shrugged. "You never brought it up. Knowing you, you often brag about the things you're good at doing."

"Very perceptive of you."

"Aw man! I'm sorry about the whole supermodel thing," Izzy muttered apologetically.

"It's cool. I'd rather hear it from you than some other deranged Justin groupie."

"Wait so are you saying your grandfather was a supermodel?" Owen asked incredulously. 

"Yeah, back in India. It sounds gross, I know."

"Are you kidding? You've got supermodel genes!"

"I highly doubt genetics work like that, Owen."

"They might!"

Izzy frantically swatted her hands in excitement. "Oh, oh, oh! Speaking of supermodels..."

While Izzy brought up another conversation, with Owen and Eva's attention, Noah and Cody busied themselves in their own discussion.

"So, I'm dating a potential supermodel? You really are out of my league," Cody sighed.

"I'm not _that_ great. Also, care to tell me why you thought I lied the first time?"

"I only picked the first one because you hate math."

"Heh, you're right. I still hate it."

"So... you really did the whole Spelling Bee last year just to win me over? I thought you did that for yourself. You said so."

When Cody lowered his voice as he spoke, Noah did the same in response, 

"I did, but you changed everything. Like I said that day: you didn't get it, so I'm glad it's out in the open. Just don't tell anyone else."

"I won't...but, w-well... C-Can I kiss you?" Cody suddenly stuttered, which was barely a whisper. His face was beyond red at that point. "Please."

Noah laughed softly as he rested his palm on Cody's cheek. "You don't need to ask."

Before their lips could touch, they winced at the sound of Izzy's shriek.

"EVA WINS!" 

Owen raised his arms and yelled another one of his signature "WOOHOO!"s. The two boys scooted away from each other in the awkward moment and smiled at Eva, who praised herself by kissing her biceps.

Cringe.

"Anyway, who wants cookies?" Izzy asked.

"ME! Can I eat the dough?" 

"No, Owen, we need tha--"  
Cody frantically rose to his feet and chased Owen into the kitchen, only to have his hand taken by Noah's, who made an unreadable expression.

"Noah? What's wrong?"

Instead of answering, Noah pulled Cody back into the living room, pushed his back against the wall, and kissed him fervently. 

"Mmph!" Cody gasped at first, but quickly melted into the kiss; his hands searched desperately for Noah's hair and dug his fingers against his dark, long strands as they made a mess of each other. Noah pressed his body against Cody's and inhaled sharply as he reluctantly pulled away.

"Sorry, I can't resist you," Noah panted before silencing Cody's attempts to reply with another kiss.

"You and me both," Cody mumbled as he flashed a shy grin. 

"Noah, Cody, where'd you go?" Izzy called from the kitchen. "If you don't come help us bake cookies in the next ten seconds, you won't be getting any! And last one in the kitchen gets to eat raw cookie dough."

"AW COME ON!" they heard Owen complain.

"Ten seconds huh?" Noah repeated to himself before shooting Cody a devious smile. "I hope you're ready to lose."

Cody smirked back and yanked Noah closer to whisper in his ear, "Jokes on you, Noah. I love cookie dough."

Laughing, Cody playfully pushed Noah away and started dashing into the kitchen. Noah grabbed his arm and pulled him back so he could get ahead.

"Oh no you don't!"

The couple held each other back from the archway until Cody tripped them over. Once they fell down, Noah's hand landed just outside the living room space.

"Ha! I win."

Out of fake anger, Cody grunted and shoved Noah's head down to hoist himself up, earning a yelp from the darker brunette.

"Fine by me. Bring on the cookie dough!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After baking cookies, what's next on the sleepover itinerary? Only Izzy knows the answer to that so stay tuned!
> 
> Or don't. It's cool either way!


	16. A Sophomore Sleepover (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izzy's sleepover continues with a game of Truth or Dare! And will Cody have the courage to let Noah see past his smile? The answer goes both ways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Caution: This chapter contains slightly steamy content such as making out. That's it.
> 
> Featured Couple: Owen x Izzy  
> Mentioned characters: Emma, Justin, Heather, Trent, Buttsquat (A Camp Lakebotton character... why him? Let's just say he and Noah share the same voice actor...)
> 
> Featured TD Fan: everythingtotaldrama (check our their Tumblr!) - See End Notes

"Alright, we got all the basic ingredients down and ready to go! Any additions you guys would like to add?"

"No nuts please. I got a severe nut allergy since I was six," Cody requested.

"My life-threatening allergies don't include comestibles, unless it either looks or tastes revolting," Noah added.

"The only thing I'm allergic to is having no food on the table, otherwise I might eat the table," Owen went on.

"I'm sure eating Izzy's table will make her parents love you more," Eva sarcastically groaned.

"He could eat my entire house and my parents will still approve! Trust me. Anyway, let's get started!" Izzy gently pushed the container of sugar in Cody's direction. "Cody, please do the honor of putting all the measurements!"

"Are you sure you can trust Cody to measure a cup of sugar? He's so sweet he could pour the whole container if he wanted to!" Noah half-complained, half-complimented.

"Now you're giving me ideas, Noah," Cody playfully retorted.

"Should I leave?"

"Yes," Eva answered before Cody could open his mouth.

"I have an idea! Why don't the three of us go swimming outside?" Owen suggested. 

"But Izzy's rule was for everyone, except Eva, to bake cookies together," Cody protested.

"Hm true. But I wanna spend more time alone with you, Cody! You three are excused," Izzy replied approvingly.

"WOOHOO! Race you to the pool!" Owen exclaimed as he sprinted to the backyard while Eva and Noah took their time to follow him out the door.

"You do realize it's like fifty degrees farenheit outside?" Noah deadpanned.

"Meh, I've been in worse conditions. Besides, Izzy's pool is also a jacuzzi, just like yours," Eva muttered with the same level of disinterest.

"It beats baking cookies, I guess." 

Eva wrinkled her nose with a face that says 'seriously?' and scoffed. Noah raised an eyebrow in confusion for a moment before mentally reiterating his last sentence. He shook his head and chuckled lightly. 

"Sorry. Pun unintended."

\--

"Okay, cookies are finally in the oven. Who knew you were so good at baking, Cody!" complimented Izzy.

"Thanks! I asked our maid to teach me how to bake so I can do it with mom and dad someday," Cody explained as he rubbed his arm nervously. "Of course, they never had the time to do it with me so eventually I stopped trying."

"Aw, Cody... your parents should make time for you! It's not always about outlawing fun," Izzy comforted.

"They're just doing their best for me to have a better future."

"If you say so... Also, while we're on the subject of desserts, I think you should tell Noah about your new job! He'd be thrilled!"

"Maybe the right time will come for that. Until then, I still feel too mortified to show myself in my uniform. I can already hear him laughing at me!"

"Cody, I'll have you know I'm psychotic. And I can tell that's just your mind talking."

Before Cody could sigh with relief, he wrinkled his nose at Izzy. "What does being psychotic have to do with this?"

"Oh! My therapist assumed I have ESP so they thought I was psychotic!"

"Uh... okay look just promise you'll keep this a secret between us. Please?"

Izzy fanned her hand and rolled her eyes. "Pfft, I make no promises but I'll sure try!"

"Thanks. It's all I ask."

_**Ding!Ding!Ding!** _

Cody clapped his hands and grinned. "Oh would you look at that: cookies are done!" 

"Yay! Once I serve this, we're gonna play truth or dare in the backyard. Quickly, while the night is still young!"

\---

As soon as Izzy and Cody made their way outside, Owen's leisure by the pool was quickly interrupted by the smell of freshly baked-

"COOKIES!!! You guys are the best!" 

Noah and Eva, who sat next to each other by the edge of the pool, looked at each other and snickered.

"There he is again with 'the best x'," commented Eva. 

Noah shrugged, smirking. "I'm way past getting mind-boggled by his lack of knowledge with superlatives. We'd better grab some cookies before he eats them all."

"Way ahead of you, string bean."

"Take your time eating guys, because it's time for our next activity: truth or dare!" Izzy eagerly announced.

Eva and Noah shared a worried look and said, "uh-oh," in unison.

Owen pumped his cookie-filled fists in the air. "WOO YEAH! Bring on the dares, Iz!"

"Nah I'm not starting! Eva is," Izzy stated. "She won the last round so now she's starting this one."

"Hm... Noah--"

"Oh crap."

"Truth or dare."

"Oooooh!" howled Izzy.

"This should be good," Cody mumbled to himself.

"Say dare! I wanna see you do something awesome. Wait, no say truth! I wanna hear you say something awesome," Owen interrupted.

"Fine. Dare me. I'm feeling brave," Noah finally answered after sneering at Owen's suggestions for the past half minute.

"No nude dares, Eva. We're not ready for that," Cody pleaded.

"What? Too scared to see your boyfriend naked?" Eva asked nonchalantly.

"We're not..." Noah raised his voice before sighing in defeat. "Never mind."

"Sorry. Anyway I dare Noah to go swimming in the pool with the jacuzzi settings turned off."

"Consider yourself lucky I'm wearing trunks, otherwise you would've been steamrolled by an onslaught of word murder," Noah glowered.

"I'll take that as a challenge once you learn to endure this one."

"Do I have to?"

"Rules are rules," Cody answered plainly.

"Yeah!" Owen yelled jubilantly. 

"No backing out!" Izzy added. "Take off your shirt, Noah! Take it off! Take it off!"

Noah threw his hands up in frustration, and the group went silent. "Okay, fine! But I'm only doing this so you guys can shut up."

When the bookworm hesitantly tugged against the garter of his shorts, Izzy flailed her hands and jumped to her feet, and he stopped in his tracks.

"Oh-oh-oh, wait! I'll get the camera!"

"Izzy I will contact the RCMP to kick your ass if you record this!" Noah snapped.

"Chillax buddy! I'll be taking pictures for my scrapbook! I forgot about it earlier cause I was too distracted by all the fun going on so... I'll be right back!" Izzy calmingly reassured Noah, but the latter still remained cautious.

"Iz, wait up! I need to know where the bathroom is. Don't start your dare without me, Noah!" Owen said as it was his turn to leave the backyard.

"I hope they forget about it when they come back," Noah muttered.

"Don't worry, I'll make them remember," Eva stated mercilessly.

"Thanks, sunshine. Now do me a favor and go get my phone so I can put a timer on."

"Why do you need a timer? It'll only be thirty seconds," Cody asked innocently.

"Not to insult anyone's intelligence but you will need it. Especially since you guys always seem to lose track of time enjoying my suffering."

"You have a point. But if you start before I get back, you're on your own in PhysEd for a week," Eva huffed before walking back in the house.

"I look forward to it!" Noah sarcastically replied. Once the jockette left the backyard, he sighed with exasperation.  
"Finally I catch a break."

"Yea-" Cody's response came to a halt as realization hit him. "Wait a second, you just wanted to be alone with me, didn't you?"

Noah chuckled lightly. "Is that so wrong? With all the attention and life getting a hell of a lot busier, I figured channelling my inner bullshit-artist was the only way I could be alone with you."

"I'll admit, I was getting pretty lonely without you these past few weeks," Cody sheepishly muttered.

"I wasn't," Noah blankly stated.

The geek's mouth went agape and gave him the cold shoulder.   
"I see how it is."

"Hey, you can't blame me for being so frustrated by your absence. I was almost ready to ditch my group project meeting to come see you two days ago."

"Dude, I was kidding!" Cody laughed incredulously. Did Noah seriously want to ditch a school-related issue just to see him? How fortuitous!

"I wasn't," Noah said again.

A brief moment of silence ensued, and the heat of the moment brought their lips together in a soothing kiss. Cody inhaled sharply into the kiss and moaned as Noah's tongue explored the cavern of his mouth. With Cody's back facing the glass door, Noah noticed Eva making her way back, and reluctantly ended their kiss.

"Here you go. You have text messages from some kid named Buttsquat," Eva informed while stifling a snort.

Cody burst out laughing. "Oh, man what kind of a nickname is that?!"

Noah shrugged at the lighter brunette's laughter, but smiled at how cute he sounded just now. "Nickname? That's the name everyone calls him, except his parents. Everyone calls him that so much I forgot his real name. And it's kind of my job to babysit brats like him."

"I didn't know you work as a babysitter," Cody inferred, clearly stunned by the news.

"Regrettably, yes. My mom recommended I learn how to act more like an adult and what better way to do it than by bonding with my rambunctious cousins? It's humiliating but at least you don't have to see me working in action."

Cody's face fell at Noah's words. While he was struggling to keep the secret of his undignified part-time job, Noah somehow trusts his friends enough to open up about his embarrassing one.

Meanwhile, Eva rolled her eyes and shrugged, all while trying to avoid the subject of child-care.   
"I hate children. Let's get this over with."

"I'm baaaack!" Izzy sang.

"Me too!" Owen added.

"Finished making out?" Noah asked knowingly while finally pulling his long-sleeved white top over his head.

"Never. What about you two? I bet it gets spicy when you're alone together." Izzy shot back.

Cody's face burned at the question, while Noah narrowed his eyes and growled. Izzy flashed a seemingly oblivious grin. 

"There's the Noah I love! Now give Cody a hug and say... SPAGHETTI!"

Cody jovially throws his arms around Noah from behind and flashes a peace sign.

"Spaghetti!!!" 

Well, Cody said it anyway. Noah on the other hand tried to stay mad, but something about the geek flashing his best gap-toothed smile warmed him up to flash a smirk of his own. The perfect moment before a camera flash.

"Aww you look so cute! Now toss him overboard, Cody!"

"Izzy, you know I'd never do that!" Cody protested.

"Maybe a kiss will inspire me to jump," Noah offered slyly.

Cody reciprocated this with a smirk of his own.

"Really now?"

Cody traced the contours of Noah's bare chest all the way up to his lips before kissing him passionately. They were both too lost in the moment to care about Owen and Izzy's wolfish whistling. After pulling away, Cody licked his lips and hummed.

"Are you jumping?"

"Heck no."

"Good."

To everyone's surprise, Cody shoved Noah backwards into the pool, earning a startled yelp from the latter. For the first time that night, Eva burst out laughing with the rest of the group, except Cody of course, who barely held back a snort.

Noah gasped above the water, coughing and treading lightly as he saw Cody start a timer on the his phone.

"OUHH YOU GOT SPLASHED!" Izzy yowled.

"Yeah! That was priceless!" Eva cackled.

"The best part was seeing Eva laugh!" Owen giggled.

"You really need to put a passcode on your phone, dude," Cody said while swiping on the menu.

"Y-You'll regret that, A-Andersss---son!" Noah winced. 

Cody giggled innocently and knelt down the edge of the pool to kiss Noah's nose. "I know."

After half a minute of nonstop comical banter, Noah was finally granted his leave from the pool. He splashed Izzy and Eva for laughing at him before grabbing a towel offered by Owen. He mouthed a thanks and chattered away, struggling to seek warmth.

"S-s-so cold..."

"Okay, take a few minutes to warm up and then you can torture one of us next," Izzy keenly stated.

"I'll make hot chocolate! Don't question it," Cody offered as he sprinted into the dining room. 

"Put marshmallows in mine please!" Owen pleaded.

"I think he's only making it for Noah," Eva blankly surmised. 

"Aw..."

"Eva... t-t-truth or d-d-dare," Noah grumbled, shuddering underneath the towel.

"Dare me. I'm not afraid."

"I d-d-d-dare you t-to c-c-call He-Heh-Heather and t-te-tell her you love her!" Noah chattered. 

Eva snarled. "You son of a--"

"D-D-Dare's a dare. I didn't say you can't get creative."

"Fine, but only because you said I can be creative."

Eva reluctantly pulled out her phone and went to the number pad. "Does anyone have Heather's stupid phone number?"

"I do! I have everyone's number," said Owen.

"Ugh." Eva roughly snatched Owen's phone and went straight to speed dial. After three consecutive rings, Eva grew hotheaded once she heard Heather's voice over the phone. She was close enough to hear, but too far to mangle.

Cody steps back outsside with a tray of mugs in both hands, leaving everyone but Eva - who was still focused on the call - surprised.

"Cody, you didn't have to!" Izzy sighed in awe as Cody offered her and Owen their mugs. 

"I want to! I added extra marshmallows like you said, Owen," Cody chirped sweetly.

"Cody," Owen began before taking his mug, then continued, "You. Are. Awesome!"

"Heh, I guess so. You haven't tried it yet though!" Cody said while walking over to Noah.

"I think Owen means it's the thought that counts," the bookworm explained, his gaze fixed on the geek. 

Cody placed the tray, which still had Eva's mug, on an outdoor table, then sat next to Noah, kissing his damp hair as he handed the bookworm's mug. When their eyes met, Cody smiled brightly.

"What are friends for?"

"Wait, where's yours?" Noah asked softly, where only Cody could hear.

"Oh, I didn't--"

"Shh!" Izzy hissed. "There's an ongoing prank call."

Back with Eva, the jockette didn't say anything for the first few seconds. She fumbled dozens of meaningless words in her head, trying to find the right ones.

"This had better be important, Owen!" she heard Heather snap. Eva gritted her teeth.

"Listen here you..." she grumbled before making eye-contact with Noah all while recalling his pep talks about roasting her future victims. And so far, she saved the first spot for Heather. She took a deep breath and continued, in a rather deep voice.

"I love you..." Eva slowly confessed before unleashing her blistering fury over her end. "NOT! EVEN SUMO WRESTLERS LOOK HOTTER THAN YOU! AND YOU WON'T FEEL SO HOT ONCE THEY CRUSH YOU UNDER THEIR SKIN. THAT'S THE KIND OF LOVE YOU DESERVE, YOU TWO-FACED BACKSTABBING BI--" 

As she said the last word, Eva hung up and threw Owen's phone on the grass, which bounced onto to his lap. Their reactions were... interesting.

Owen gasped.

Izzy bit her lip and squealed.

Cody covered his face with a mixture of amusement and horror.

Noah barely spilled the contents of his mug from bursting with laughter. 

"Eva, you just made my evening!" Noah wheezed.

"I know, right?" Izzy chuckled evilly. 

Cody involuntarily hugged his knees and muttered, "I know you're brutal, but that was a fatality move right there."

"I'm scared to see what Heather will do to me when I go to school next week," Owen nervously mentioned.

"Don't worry, Big-O! Just tell Heather your phone was stolen by a family friend and she'll believe you," Izzy suggested.

"I doubt that. We all know Owen's a terrible liar," Noah reminded bluntly.

"It's not a lie when our group already feels like family," Cody interjected, prompting everyone to stare at him with mixed expressions. The geek felt his self-esteem sink deeper, and squeaked. "Food for thought."

"You do have a point, we do treat each other like a family!" Owen commented.

"No argument there," Noah curtly added.

"I guess," Eva agreed. "It's boring at home. You guys are way more fun to hang out with."

Izzy clutched her chest and moaned, "Awuh, Eva!"

Family kind of feels like a foreign concept to me, Cody thought somberly. Noah noticed the geek's silence and loosened his towel to pull him closer, while the others bantered about being a label-less family.

"Cody, your hot chocolate is to die for!" Izzy praised dramatically. Owen nodded aggressively in agreement. Noah and Eva smiled and nodded once.

"Heh, thanks you guys!"

"I'll go next!" Izzy yelped, "Cody, truth or dare!"

"Dare me!" Cody quickly answered, his demeanor changing at the same pace - which caused Noah to flinch away from him.

"I dare you to let Owen do your makeup AND you have to wear it until we sleep."

"Me? Are you sure?" Owen asked. 

"Yup! No backing down, you two."

"Makeup? Excuse you, but I'm a guy!" Cody objected.

"Yeah and Owen did my makeup. I've seen him do his own makeup and he's a total natural at it! I'll show you a picture when he's finished."

"I'm scared..." Cody mumbled before grabbing Noah's shoulders to shake him. "Noah talk some sense into him. Please!"

"I'd love to, honey, but a dare's a dare."

"Fine..." Cody mumbled.

Five minutes later, Owen wiped his forehead in relief and smiled proudly at his work, that is Cody's face.

"Done! Feast your eyes on this!"

The second Owen stepped aside to reveal Cody, everyone flashed mixed looks of amazement, amusement, and horror. 

There was Cody with foundation on face, subtle eyeliner brushed across the top of his eyelids, soft baby pink blush on his cheeks, and is that... lip gloss!?

"So... how do I look?"

"I have... no comment," Noah gulped.

"I'll say it for Noah: You. Look. FABULOUS!" Izzy squealed. "I told you Owen was a great choice for a makeup artist!"

"That's not what I meant!" Noah protested, albeit his cheeks looked darker.

"'Feast my eyes?' I'd rather starve to death," Eva deadpanned.

"What!?" Cody exclaimed. He took out his phone and swiped the camera, then screamed at the sight of his face.  
"I mean... Owen's pretty good for a makeup artist but... I look so weird with makeup on!"

"Mind if I get a closer look?" Noah asked as he rose to his feet and stepped closer. 

"Heck no! Put a shirt on, or something."  
The geek buried his face in his hands, but he gently fought back by trying to pry his hands out of his face.

"No, don't look at me! Don't you dare touch me!" Cody whined before quickly going silent as Noah scrutinized his face once more. Despite the geek's glossy lips making him more and more desperate for a taste, they were inevitably halted by Eva.

"If you two make out again, I'm gonna throw you in the pool," she threatened monotonously.

Noah shook his head and sighed, then gently smudged some Cody's blush with his finger.

"As much as I want to try kissing you with makeup on, I think Eva has a point," he leaned closer and whispered into his ear. "You look a lot better without it"

Without another word, Noah turned his heel and went back to the spot where his hot chocolate was placed. Cody blushed madly at the comment and wiped his face in haste with a nearby towel. Izzy curiously gasped.

"What did he say, Cody!?" she asked.

Cody groaned back while vigorously rubbing his face.

"You didn't like it?" Owen asked sadly.

"I like it but like I said: I feel weird wearing it," Cody rapidly explained once his makeup was off. "Sorry, Owen. Sorry, Izzy, I failed the dare."

"No problem, Cody! Trent felt the same way when I did his face," Owen recalled.

"Aw dude you were supposed to wear it until we go to bed later!" Izzy whined, then giggled. "But that's okay, no harm done!"

Owen nodded in agreement, then turned to the bookworm. "What did you think of Cody's look, Noah?"

"Ten out of ten, Owen. That's all I can say," Noah suddenly answered. Owen gasped with delight and pulled the bookworm in for a hug.

"Oof!"

"You're the best!"

Cody sighed. _This dork's really tempting me, tonight,_ he pondered. 

"Izzy, truth or dare," he finally said.

"Oh, I choose dare, but don't ask me to destroy the house in any way. My parents will be back tomorrow from their business trip after all."

"Noted."

After a few more minutes of dares, which mostly involved drinking an insane amount of chili sauce, then apple cider vinegar for Owen, the gang finally moved on to choosing the Truth option. 

"So, Eva..." Owen inquired. "If you had to choose among us, who would you pick?"

"I'm not talking. You can't make me talk!" Eva glowered.

"Eva, the whole point is to tell the truth," Cody reminded.

"Then I pass. Points be damned."

"Okay... I'll have to guess Izzy, then," Owen surmised himself. "Or Noah... Either one of you will do!"

"Whatever lets you sleep tonight. Izzy truth or dare?" Eva continued.

"Truth!"

"Bed, Wed or Dead: Owen, Noah and Cody."

"Hmm" Izzy droned on before answering. "I'll have to wed Owen, since I love him so much!"

Owen giggled as Izzy pinched his chubby cheeks. "Aww!"

"I'll probably bed Cody to boost his reputation with the ladies."

"Uh... thanks?" Cody muttered confusedly. 

"What a surprise: you left me for 'dead'," Noah sarcastically deadpanned.

"Sorry, but not really! Truth or truth, Noah?" 

"How about neither?"

"Nope!"

"Fine. Truth."

"Would you rather fight Cody or hug Justin?" 

Noah glared menacingly.   
"What?"

"That's revenge for making me eat a tablespoon of habanero sauce!" 

Noah crossed his arms. "Huh. Well played. But not good enough I'm afraid. If by 'fight', you mean argue then I'd rather do that with Cody than hug Justin."

Cody frowned.  
"Why?"

The bookworm turned to him, his expression warm yet concerned for their future. "Why? What's a real relationship without learning to overcome adversity together?"

Cody's frown disappeared as quickly as it came, and was replaced with a cheeky grin.  
"Right!"

"But if by 'fight' you mean beat up," Noah added, returning his attentionto Izzy, "then I'd rather hug Justin."

Owen gasped.

Eva rolled her eyes.  
"Weak."

"Why would you rather do that?" Izzy curiously inquired.

"I'll only do it for Cody's sake since I know it'll make him happy," Noah turned to the stunned geek and inhaled sharply. "Look, I know you want us to get along, which is indefinitely impossible, but I'd rather hug that jerkwad than leave permanent damage on you."

"That's... uncharacteristically sweet of you, Noah," Cody softly pointed out.

The bookworm scratched the back of his head and turned away, occasionally glancing at the lighter brunette next to him.   
"Meh, I guess you could say you're rubbing off on me."

The silence between them stretched on for about a minute until Owen snuck up behind them and brought them closer.

"Now kiss."

"Agh, dude!" Cody laughed while flailing his arm to make Owen go away. Noah smirked deviously.

"Congratulations, Owen, you just volunteered yourself. Truth or--"

"Truth!"

"Why the heck are you and Izzy dating again?"

"Duh because she's awesome!" Owen answered simply. "I mean come on, how can you not love a beautiful woman who can scarf like half a buffet line, burp like a guy, and come back for more? She's more than I could ever ask for!"

Izzy gasped. "Oh, Owen! You never say that in person... well, in texts yes. But that's the first time I ever heard you say something so sweet! Come here, you big lug!"

Owen held his arms out as Izzy jumped in to initiate a steamy kiss. Everyone else coughed and whistled awkwardly at the public display.

"Are they gonna stop?" Eva mumbled.

Cody shrugged and said nothing.

"Give them another minute. Coming from Owen, that's practically a wedding proposal already," teased Noah. 

Finally, Owen and Izzy pulled away, both panting and looking worn out from their kiss. 

"What're we doing again?" Owen asked as if he just snapped out of a trance.

"Oh nothing, just watching you two go high on Cloud 9 that's all," Noah deadpanned, albeit smiling at the joke. 

"Cool..." Owen blinked a few times until he remembered what they were doing. "Oh yeah we were playing Truth or Dare! Uh, Cody! Truth?" 

"Um... sure! I've got nothing to hide." Cody stated confidently, but Noah was quick on the uptake. The bookworm reached out to grab his hand, but quickly retreated out of hesitation. He grabbed his mug instead to sip his already lukewarm drink while quietly observing his friend.

"Is it true that you signed up for the Boy Band Club? I mean it's just that I tried signing up, but Justin said something about my weight being a let down. But I'm sure he was trying to protect me from getting embarrassed. Anyway, is it true?" Owen asked.

Noah flinched at the question. Cody did what? And he didn't know? When Cody's gaze shifted in his direction, he looked away faking indifference. 

"Um... not that rumors were supposed to go around the school but, yes I did sign up. Harold agreed, Justin said no, but Trent was still busy assessing the other candidates."

"A boy band? Really? Why are we friends again?" Eva scoffed.

"I think you'll get the part!" encouraged Izzy. "Can you sing?"

"Um... I'm not that good but I can carry a tune," he chuckled shyly and continued. "They saved me a spot for the keyboard in case I get accepted."

"You did talk about playing the piano when we were younger, but I never saw you play before," Noah stepped in rather tensely. Cody felt that and ran a hand through his hair

"Heh, I guess I play more for myself than for other people nowadays."

"Do you write your own songs?" Noah enquired.

Cody smiled crookedly with a slight tint of pink on his cheeks. "Not really... but when I sing certain songs, I think of you."

Unsure of what to say next, Noah nervously tucked a loose strand of hair behind his ear and let out a short hum. Izzy wrapped her arm around his shoulder in a hug and squealed.

"Aww tell us, Cody! We'd love to hear you play," she pleaded.

"Yeah! I can forward your performance to Trent. He'll have to take you in!" Owen offered generously.

"For all you know, your cover music might just make it into my playlist," Eva added encouragingly. 

"Thanks, but I think I'll handle the club prerequisites myself, and I'll play when I'm ready," Cody dismissed. "Also, it's your turn Izzy."

"Neat! Hit me baby one more time!" she chirped while shooting finger guns at him.

"Hmm... if some weirdo beckons you in the street, would you walk faster or look back to see if they look hot?"

Owen gasped. "Izzy I want you to run! I don't want anything bad to happen to you!"

Izzy placed a hand on her chin and pursed her lips in thought. "Chill Big O! If I was single I'd totally look back to see what they look like, and simply walk away, ugly or not."

"But what if they hurt you?" Owen asked worriedly.

"They won't, honey, I can take care of myself!" Izzy cooed, her face inches away from her boyfriend's. "And if they try to hurt you, I'll return that pain a thousandfold!"

"Remind me never to get on your bad side."

"You did once before, remember? You abandoned me when we went to that amusement park haunted house on our third date."

Owen scratched the back of his neck shamefully.  
"Yeah... I'm still sorry about that. I should've been braver."

Izzy grabbed his face and crashed their lips together briefly.

"Tonight's the bravest you've ever been for me so far!"

The two giggled amorously while sharing a few more kisses in front of the group.

"And I've reached my limit for touchy feely mush," Eva groaned. "Can we go inside and watch a movie or something? I'll take those mugs back, Cody."

Before Cody could protest as to whether or not Eva drank the hot chocolate he gave her, he noticed that even her mug was empty like the others. He smiled warmly.

"Thanks, Eva! You guys go ahead. I think I wanna stay out here a bit. I could use a breather from all the fun we had tonight."

Eva nodded and carried the tray of empty mugs on one hand with ease. 

"Have, Cody," Izzy corrected. "Ten more minutes and we're gonna watch a movie!"

Cody laid his head on the soft turf and sighed. His smile quickly disappeared and closed his eyes as he took in the gentle breeze howling past him. 

He couldn't get over the shame he felt when he stood up to his mother. With their next family meeting, he was sure she would gossip about him to his stuck-up cousins, who also bullied him in front of his parents. They got away with it because they were richer, and their parents would go as far as to threaten his family's bankruptcy if his spoiled cousins and nephews spread lies about him under the guise of a tattletale. That being said, do his parents care at all?

With Justin in the same club he aspired to join since Freshman Year, it made him even more anxious about the future. He couldn't forget that day Justin vowed to get back at him after that humiliating display. He was worried about Sierra, who cautiously stalks him outside his peripheral vision. 

If my luck is this bad, how much worse could it get if I lost my friends? What might become of Noah and I in the future? he thought somberly. 

"You know..."

Cody gasped at the additional voice reverberating above him.

"I often go outside to spend extra time with Leo when I feel like crap."

"Noah! Hi," Cody greeted hastily as he swiftly pulled himself up. "I thought you went with the others."

"I may be an insensitive prick but I'm not dense, Cody. You didn't look like yourself since you got here."

"Oh, yeah I guess I do seem a bit out of it tonight. But I promise, I really did have fun!"

"That's a relief at least," Noah sighed as he sat next to him.

A brief moment of awkward silence stretched for about a minute. While pondering his next move, Cody scanned Noah up and down and shook his head, feigning disappointment.

"I miss Shirtless Noah already."

Noah snorted. "If you wanted to ask me to show you some skin, I would've saved you the hassle. Unfortunately, tonight's forecast says otherwise."

"Pity." 

As the silence stretched with time, Cody finally mustered every last nerve to open up.

"Do you ever wish you had different parents?"

Noah blinked in surprise and stared at Cody, whose gaze was focused at the stars. He nodded sideways on his shoulder and answered, 

"Sometimes. But I guess it's normal for kids like us to think about it. Did your parents treat you like crap again?"

Cody furrowed his eyes at the question, his lips quivering.   
"I love my parents. I spent my entire life trying to get a shred of love from them, but all I get are plans for my future. I get these pep talks where feelings are for the weak, a frail body is weak, men who cry are weak, people who fail at making connections and getting straight A's are weak."

He faced Noah on the brink of tears. Although it was dark, the bookworm could still see him clearly. His face softened with worry as he heard Cody's voice crack and quiver, uttering a pitiful question,

"Am I really as weak as they say I am?"

Without warning, Noah pulled him into a rough embrace. It was short but full of comfort. He pulled away, but kept his grip firm on Cody's shoulders.

"Cody, if you're going to spend the rest of your life allowing other people to bring you down like this, then that needs to change right now. So listen carefully: you are not weak. You are not a burden. You never were! Whoever put those damn thoughts in your head are too blinded by their perfectionism to see the real you, and that's their loss.

"I'm speaking from experience here. Even I thought your kindness was your weakness, but deep down I knew it made me strong; and I was too caught up in my pride to admit it. Then you got rid of that too. Anyone who is capable of shattering my pride is strong in my book, and that's exactly what you did. 

"When I had a crush on Emma, I allowed her to make me vulnerable. I made it so easy for her to see through me. But you? You worked so hard to see the real me ever since we met, and it took me ages before I finally let you in. It pissed me off to see you pull it off, and you know what?

"It only made you more irresistible. So, there. Just don't ever believe that you're weak... except when you're lifting something heavier than ten kilograms, I guess."

"Even with moments like this, you still know how to make me laugh," Cody chortled, his tears already cascading his cheeks. Noah chuckled softly and wiped Cody's tears with his thumb. Before he could pull his hand away, Cody leaned into his touch and placed his own hand over the other's, embracing the warmth of Noah's palm on his cheek.

"It's part of my charm, Anderson. How else can I keep coming up with more ways to impress you?"

"Perhaps a kiss would be nice," Cody mumbled shyly. 

"You read my mind."

The dorky, unofficial couple cherished each other's laughter just moments before locking their lips together. A mixture of giggling and moaning escaped Cody's lips as he grabbed fistfuls of Noah's hair and pulled lightly, earning a low groan from the bookworm and causing them to stop.

"That felt nice," Noah breathed.

"Really?"

Noah nodded once and rolled his eyes. "Well, I read somewhere that guys prefer having their hair played with over making out. I found that hard to believe until now."

"So you don't wanna make out with me? I see how it is," Cody whispered softly, grinning. 

"Okay, I never said it was a hundred percent credible."

"Thought so."

They shared another kiss. Then another. And another. All while hoping Cody could forget those horrible things, everyone said about him, ever existed, at least for tonight.

"Are you still thinking about what everyone thinks of you?" Noah randomly asked.

"Even if I don't, people still come up with ways to bring me down," Cody answered, sighing deeply.

"You can't escape people saying bad things about you, so let them waste their time. Meanwhile I'm having the time of my life. Out here, with you."

"Heh... smooth. If our classmates heard you say that, they'd think you're crazy. But you know what?" Cody snaked his arms around Noah's neck and pulled him down as he laid on the grass, reminiscing the memory of their first kiss.

"If you keep talking like that, I'm the one who might go insane." 

They resumed their long-overdue makeout session, their hands lovingly interlacing each other. It felt weird having to do it in someone else's backyard but neither of them cared. For tonight, at least for ten minutes, this moment was theirs.

"Cody... I lo--"

"NOAH, CODY, MOVIE!" they heard Izzy bark from inside the house. Stunned, the two scrambled away from each other hastily and rose to their feet to dust themselves off.

"Sorry," Noah stammered.

"M-me too."

"Shall we?"

"Sure."

As Noah went ahead to open the back door, Cody ran up to him and grabbed his arm.

"Wait!"

Noah flinched and faced him.

"Did you just say you love me?"

"Um, not really, I... look, forget I said anything," Noah regretfully stated. 

Cody's face fell.

"Noah..."

"It's not you, Cody. It's just... when I told Emma I loved her, she left me. In the end, I learned to take love more seriously. It's the only way to prove what we have is real."

"Right... I get it."

With Cody's head lowered, Noah sighed and tilted the geek's head up. He softly pressed his lips against his and firmly gripped his shoulders.

"When the right moment comes, I promise I'll say it."

Cody sniffed lightly and smiled. He did almost say it after all. What would've happened if he did confess?

"Okay... I mean, we're not exactly in a relationship yet. Still dating, so to speak."

"Don't worry, I have a plan for my next move and I'm gonna stick to it," Noah promised.

"What is it?"

Noah mimed his hand sliding across his lips like a closing zipper, then Cody pouted.

"You're mean!"

Noah chuckled as he stepped inside, while keeping the door open for Cody to follow.

"Thanks; it runs in the family!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize, for this chapter is too long and somewhat redundant. Don't expect steamy chapters like this for a while cause it's about to get more dramatic from here!
> 
> What are Noah's plans? Expect the answer two to three chapters later!
> 
> Note Update: I totally forgot to credit a fellow TD fan for contributing to my inspiration for this chapter. Some of the truths and dares were brought to you by @everythingtotaldrama on Tumblr. Please feel free to follow their blog and stay tuned to them, because they're working on a NEW TOTAL DRAMA FANFIC of their own! 
> 
> I'm hyped for it and I hope you are too.


	17. A Sophomore Sleepover - The Moment Is Ours

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Eva falling asleep and Izzy letting Owen discover her room, Noah and Cody steal another moment to themselves. Needless to say, it's their first time sleeping together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS CHAPTER IS STRICTLY NOCO! It might sound suggestive, but it's mostly heavy fluff with a bit of angst on the side. Noah may sound uncharacteristic, but if love changed him in TDRR, who says it can't happen in this story... in a not-as-cringey sort of way?

The entire group set up their sleeping bags and tucked themselves in as they enjoyed the movie. After mixed reactions, cheerful banter, and awfully amusing reenactments of their favorite scenes, the credits rolled in at almost no time at all. Eva fell asleep near the end of the movie, Owen busied himself by holding Izzy close, who was fully immersed in the movie. Noah rested his head on Cody's lap as he lazily scrutinized the scenes in search of its flaws. 

"Aw no I wanted more, come on!" Izzy complained. 

"The sequel's coming out next year," informed Cody. "We should all go together!"

"Speak for yourself. Look, even Eva found it so boring she fell asleep," Noah deadpanned.

"I'll watch any movie and enjoy it as long as I'm with Izzy," Owen commented, his smile putting his girlfriend at ease.

"Aw you!"

"You should probably be quiet. I don't think Eva will like it if one of us wakes her up," Cody whispered.

"Aw man!" Owen groaned wearily. "I was looking forward to having a rematch with Noah!"

Noah shrugged and patted the large of Owen's back. "Don't sweat it, Lunchbox. If we wake up early tomorrow, we might make more than enough time to play video games."

"But I'm not even sleepy yet!" 

"Noah's right, we'll still have tons of fun tomorrow! As for you two, I've taken the liberty to let you guys spend some alone time in our mini office! Nothing special, other than the wall of books, my dad's desk and my mom's private vinyl record collection. They said they were okay with Noah using it since they seem to trust him with that room more than me," offered Izzy.

Owen winced. "That bites, Iz."

"Nah. I've already been there and it's boring. Besides, I have a secret stash of snacks in my room that no one except me knows it exists."

"Izzy... will you share your secret stash with me?" Owen gasped, his eyes glimmering with hope in the dark.

"Of course!" Izzy giggled as she carefully pulled Owen out of the lounge area and into her bedroom. 

"Nothing special, she said? I beg to differ." Noah muttered intriguingly and took Cody's hand. "Wanna move there together? I don't mind staying here, but we'll have to minimize the chitchat and go straight to sleep."

Cody raised his voice without waking the slumbering jockette. "And miss out the opportunity to see your face in a room full of books?"  
He rolled up his sleeping bag. And pointed at the archway leading to the office.  
"Let's go, CasaNoah!"

Noah snorted in amusement as he lazily folded his sleeping bag and tiptoed behind him. Once they were alone, he dropped his bag on the polished wooden floor and offered to flatten Cody's sleeping bag next to his, which was accepted. Meanwhile, the geek ran his fingers over a wide column of books.

"I never thought Izzy's parents were bookworms like you, Noah."

The darker brunette stepped beside him, scrutinizing every single title from left to right.

"Given Izzy's uncharacteristic utterances of a few convoluted terms and phrases, I'm not exactly surprised." 

"Do you want to read something?"

Noah bit his lip in thought and slowly faced Cody, a shy grin creeping on his lips.

"Nah. See, I'm kind of on a roll here. I might not get another opportunity to steal you away more than once in one night."

Cody laughed nervously. "I've never seen you so ambitious before."

"Does wanting you more than our friends and a room full of books make me ambitious?" 

Cody hums sensually, snaking his hands around Noah's neck as he leaned into his ear.

"Yes."

Noah's breath hitches as Cody presses a sultry kiss in his ear. Then his cheek. His jawline. And suddenly, his nose. The bookworm growled impatiently and gently shoved Cody back against the shelves behind him, their lips locked in one swift motion.

"Noah..."

He moaned back at the slow and sultry sound of his name escaping Cody's lips.

"More... please."

Noah obliged and kissed him harder, until there was nothing left for Cody to think of but him. They made out breathlessly for another minute and pulled away.

"How's that?" Noah panted.  
  
Cody giggled and snuggled into his chest, sighing contentedly from the sound of Noah's heartbeat ringing in his ears.

"Hmm... good... you kissed my worries away."

Noah smiled and stroked Cody's hair, indulging his sweet scent. "That's all I want to hear."

The geek slowly pulled himself away and yawned. "I am getting a little tired. My mom has to pick me up at ten tomorrow."

Noah glanced at the clock. It was already close to midnight. He too felt drowsy and led Cody to their sleeping bags. After getting their legs cozy under the covers, Cody lazily slithered closer to Noah's side. The darker brunette took the hint and draped his arm protectively over him. They laid there in silence, with nothing to hear except the sound of a ticking clock, and their calm, synchronized breathing.

"Hey uh... about the club I joined," Cody started, his voice slightly hoarse with drowsiness. "If you want me to quit just say the word, okay?"

"Cody..." Noah sighed. "It's your choice and you deserve to be happy. Part of me wants to know how much music means to you."

"But you looked like you were holding a grudge back there..."

"Only because Justin's in the picture."

"Come on dude, don't let that guy get to you."

"Sorry," Noah winced and ran a hand through his hair. "I guess I'm worried he might treat you like crap when I'm not around. I," he paused to gently stroke Cody's fringe away from his eye. 

"Look just be careful, okay? I don't want him to take away what you love. He might not be as awful as Al, Scott, Amy or Courtney, but he can be intimidating."

"Did he ever dig up dirt about you?"

Noah sighed heavily this time, and remained silent to consider his response more carefully. 

"In a way, we know how to piss each other off beyond the confines of our school lives. This... might come as a shock to you, but our families are... kind of close."

Cody sat up in shock.  
"Are you serious!? Does this mean he knows about us?"

Noah groaned as he groggily sat up next to him. "No, my siblings and I keep our relationships as a family secret, at least until it's out in the open. We can't keep our relationships a secret from our parents even if we tried. I told my family I wasn't ready to announce our relationship, so they avoided the topic even when our guests asked about my love life."

"What do you say when they ask you?"

"I'll say what I always said during dinner parties: absolutely nothing."

"So you and Justin don't pretend you're friends or anything?"

"As much as I love to channel my inner bullshit artist for my family's sake, he already does most of the work for me by flaunting his attractive qualities while patronizing mine. Isn't he amazing?" Noah used air quotes on the word 'attractive' and ruefully sighed as sarcasm accompanied his every word.

Cody rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Yeah, how generous."  
His face softened and scooted closer, their arms touching. Noah leaned his head over his and groaned.

"I won't let him come between you and your weaknesses, Cody. I won't allow it."

The smaller brunette had no idea where Noah's overprotective side came from. He knew he was a control freak, but this felt new.

"Chill out. Even if he tries to come between us, we'll survive his bull together."

"Ouch. I always thought I was one of your strengths, Codemeister," Noah huffed jokingly.

"The effect you have on me doesn't exactly qualify as a strength, Mr. Noah-It-All," Cody shot back with the same level of amusement.

Noah raised an eyebrow, his eyes widening with interest.   
"Really? Enlighten me." _I gotta hear this,_ he thought.

Cody giggled and lightly punched Noah's shoulder. "Does getting all tongue-tied and weak in the knees every time we kiss ring any bells?"

"No," Noah laughed. "Because when we kiss, I can't remember a thing."

Cody smiled back warmly and pulled Noah on top of him as he laid back on the soft, portable cushions beneath them. The latter yelped with delight and they stared at each other for a moment. 

"Can you do that again?" Cody asked, his voice barely a whisper.

"Do what?"

" _Kiss_ me." his response was as clear as the night sky. Albeit it was dark, Noah could feel the heat radiating off the boy beneath him. 

"Cody..."

The boy cut him off, his hands clutching fistfuls of Noah's shirt.

"Please... only you can make me forget. I know I sound selfish right now, but I'm tired of everyone treating me like I'm a waste of space. I want to forget my problems ever existed, even if it's just for tonight."

Noah winced tensely at his words. Cody was spiralling again, at least he thought so anyway. He silenced him with a chaste kiss. Then another. To Cody's surprise, he felt Noah kissed his right cheek, then his left, and suddenly he moaned loudly as Noah's hot breath tickled against his neck a second before pressing his lips in a sensitive place he never knew existed.

"Ngh!" Cody whimpered and bit his lip, clearly embarrassed at how loud he sounded just now. He could already imagine Izzy snickering on the other side, assuming she has her ways of catching their moments together.

Noah never kissed his neck before. It all felt so new. Sure he watched videos of couples kissing there prior, and he had his fair share of fantasies _initiating_ the kiss; but to see Noah beating him a lot sooner than expected was so _unfair_.

Not that it matters. He was enjoying this _way_ _too_ much to care, and Noah unwittingly reciprocated this feeling. Honestly, he never knew he had it in him. Cody moaned into Noah's hair at the gentle sweep of the latter's tongue against the sensitive skin on his neck.

"Sorry, what were you saying?" Noah finally asked.

"I can't... remember..." he heard Cody yawn. Before he knew it, the boy was already snoozing.

 _Huh_ , he thought. _That tired him out for some reason_. Noah shrugged it off and muttered incoherently as he made himself comfortable next to Cody, his arm spooned over his frail frame. He sighed from a mixture of exhaustion, frustration, worry and zeal. 

For his first sleepover, he thought it was going to be a decent evening at _best_. Man had he never felt so happy to be proven _wrong_!

 _One day_ , he thought restlessly. _One day I'll give in. One day, I'll let him know. And he'll be the first to hear it._

"I love you," he finally mumbled, moments before falling asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry, Izzy and Owen didn't do anything scandalous. They made out in her room and returned to the living room to sleep with Eva. 
> 
> Part three is coming soon... let's just say a certain scene inspired by an "infamous" reference will ensue.

**Author's Note:**

> This story keeps getting longer! When will it end?


End file.
